Department for Transport

Govia Thameslink Railway: Tickets

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much revenue his Department has received from Govia Thameslink Railway from first class ticket premiums on (a) Thameslink, (b) Great Northern, (c) Southern and (d) Gatwick Express services for each of the last three years.

Joseph Johnson: Govia Thameslink Railway does not report revenue to the Department at the level of detail requested. Total Passenger Revenue for the Govia Thameslink Railway franchise can be found on the Office of Rail and Road Data Portal at the following link: http://orr.gov.uk/rail/publications/reports/uk-rail-industry-financial-information. From this data, the total Passenger Income for 2016/17 (the latest year for which data is available) was £1.24 Billion.

Govia Thameslink Railway

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, for what reasons his Department allowed Govia Thameslink to pay £5 million to settle its obligations for two years up to September 2018; and what assessment his Department has made of the effect of that decision on incentivising that train operator to improve its performance since that decision was made.

Joseph Johnson: Holding answer received on 06 July 2018



The Secretary of State agreed a Remedial Plan with GTR setting out its interim performance regime to deliver improved performance for the two years up to September 2018. Those improvements in performance were being delivered up to the date of the May 2018 timetable change. The Secretary of State has made clear that the level of service since the May 2018 timetable change is not acceptable and has commissioned a review which will assess whether GTR met its contractual obligations in the planning and delivery of this timetable change.

Roads: Havering

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what support his Department has provided to Havering local authority for the repair and maintenance of local highways.

Jesse Norman: Responsibility for managing London’s road network is shared between Transport for London, Highways England and the London Boroughs. Local roads are managed by London Boroughs. It is therefore for the London Borough of Havering to assess its road maintenance requirements alongside other priorities in the borough.

Railways: Standards

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the letter of 28 June 2018 from the Minister of State for Transport to hon. Members on the declassification of first class trains on Thameslink and Great Northern Services, whether that policy applies to (a) Southern and (b) Gatwick Express services; and if he will make a statement.

Joseph Johnson: Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) has declassified first class areas on peak time trains on the Thameslink and Great Northern routes of operation. As is usual industry practice, GTR will continue to declassify first class areas on Southern and Gatwick Express services in times of disruption which it did on Thursday 5 July. Also, on board staff are empowered to take such decisions on a service by service basis.

Railways: Coventry

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has had discussions with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on the effectiveness of Network Rail's suicide prevention campaign at Coventry train stat; and if he will make a statement.

Joseph Johnson: Holding answer received on 10 July 2018



Government and the rail industry, including Network Rail, are jointly engaged in activity to reduce the number of suicides on the rail network. The Department has recently introduced additional requirements into franchise agreements to support the important work of safeguarding and suicide prevention. Last year over 1800 lifesaving interventions were made, with 2016/17 having the lowest number of suicide events recorded on the railway since the rail industry’s suicide prevention programme began in 2010. The City of Coventry’s Suicide Prevention Strategy includes a commitment from Network Rail to work with local authorities to support suicide prevention on the railways in the area. This includes the recent implementation of intervention patrols aimed at preventing suicides at all stations on the West Coast Main Line, including Coventry Station.

Railway Stations

Julian Sturdy: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what financial support his Department is making available to local authorities undertaking business cases for the reopening of railway stations.

Jesse Norman: Local Authorities are generally responsible for funding the development of business cases for local transport schemes including reopening of railway stations. Funding provided by the Government through the Local Growth Fund and other devolved funding streams may, in some circumstances, be used for business case development provided that it otherwise meets the criteria for the funding.

Driving: Young People

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the effect on the safety of young people of driving vehicles with high brake horse power.

Jesse Norman: Young drivers are generally more likely to be killed or seriously injured than car drivers aged 25 or over. There are no current plans to limit the engine capacity that young drivers are able to drive, as this would not address the many fatal and serious accidents which occur at lower speeds. The Department will, however, monitor the results of the introduction of Graduated Driver Licencing (GDL) in Northern Ireland. GDL is a staged approach to fully independent driving, which can include a number of different components related to pre- and post-test restrictions. This includes the imposition of restrictions, such as not carrying peer aged passengers or night time driving. In addition, as highlighted in the Road Safety Statement, the Department is about to trial the effectiveness of a range of measures to improve the safety of young and novice drivers, both before they take their test and after passing it. Many new drivers are young drivers, and we have recently updated the driving test both to ensure new drivers have the skills they will need through a lifetime of safe driving, and to reflect better the situations they may encounter when they first start driving unaccompanied. For example, the independent driving time is set to increase, and during this time candidates will be asked to follow directions from a sat nav.

Bus Services: Ashfield

Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment has been made of trends in the (a) frequency and (b) price of bus services serving Ashfield constituency in the last five years.

Ms Nusrat Ghani: The Department does not hold any data on the frequency or price of bus services serving Ashfield constituency. The bus market outside of London is deregulated. Bus operators have to register services and notify changes or cessations of service to local authorities and the traffic commissioners around 70 days before changes take effect. Government (either central or local) only has powers to intervene in relation to bus fares through concessionary travel schemes. Central Government funds the statutory national concession for older and disabled people and local Government can offer additional concessions if they choose (e.g. for young people), by doing commercial deals with operators. As part of the Bus Services Act (2017), the Department for Transport is developing regulations to require bus operators and local transport authorities to provide data, in open formats, about local bus services including routes & timetable data, fares & ticket data and real time information. We are working closely with industry to develop the regulations and it is intended the requirements will be phased in over the next few years.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Office for Nuclear Regulation

Jeremy Lefroy: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the ability of the Office for Nuclear Regulation to take over the (a) inspection and (b) oversight of responsibilities from Euratom on (i) 30 March 2019 and (b) 1 January 2021.

Richard Harrington: We continue to work closely with the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) as they take on the role and responsibilities required to enable the UK’s domestic nuclear safeguards regime to meet international nuclear safeguards and nuclear non-proliferation obligations when Euratom safeguards arrangements no longer apply in the UK. Based on current progress, the ONR will be in a position to deliver a regime that will discharge the commitments set out in the UK’s new safeguards agreements with the International Atomic Energy Agency by 29 March 2019. The ONR will move to deliver Euratom equivalence as soon as possible. The speed with which the ONR is able to apply a system offering equivalent effectiveness and coverage as that provided by the Euratom regime is dependent on a wide variety of factors. These factors include negotiations on future cooperation with Euratom and technical discussions between Euratom and the ONR.

Carillion: Insolvency

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to the Answer of 4 July to Question 158694 on Carillion: contracts, if his Department will publish the recommendations of the Government taskforce on how best to mitigate the impact of Carillion’s insolvency.

Andrew Griffiths: The Taskforce has a key role in informing and shaping the Government’s response to the company’s liquidation, but it is not a review group and will not publish recommendations. The Taskforce has been focused on taking swift action to mitigate the impacts on the small business supply chain, to support employees and apprenticeships find new employment and for the Taskforce members to help disseminate useful information to their respective shareholders. This has already led to useful collaborations, particularly in relation to work to ensure a swift transaction of construction contracts from Carillion to new contractors to minimise disruptions. The Taskforce has delivered a range of supportive measures, which include provision made by the Banks of nearly £1bn of support to those affected; Government has made available through the British Business Bank support of up to £100 million to small businesses, through their delivery partners, using the Enterprise Finance Guarantee. HMRC are also helping businesses facing genuine difficulty paying their tax bills through the Business Payment Support Service (BPSS) by offering a range of practical advice and guidance.

Mathematics: Postgraduate Education

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what plans he has to increase the number of PhD places for mathematical scientists.

Mr Sam Gyimah: PhD funding forms one part of the £300m that will be spent over the next three years on increasing talent in the UK, as aligned to Industrial Strategy priorities. Additionally over the next 5 years, £50 million has been allocated through the National Productivity Investment Fund for additional PhDs, including 100 PhDs to support research into AI, ensuring Britain is at the forefront of the AI revolution. Funding for PhD places, including mathematical sciences, is not ring-fenced to specific areas, but is based on the strength of candidates and applications.

Minimum Wage: Repayments

Stewart Malcolm McDonald: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to his Department's press release entitled Record 22,400 minimum wage workers to receive millions in backpay, what proportion of those 22,400 workers received backpay as a result of unpaid work trials.

Andrew Griffiths: Information on the most common reasons for underpayment were given in the press notice referred to. Information is not held centrally on the number of workers underpaid through exploitative work trials. In many HMRC investigations a variety of risks of underpayment will exist with a single employer. Any worker who thinks they may have been underpaid the National Minimum Wage should contact Acas. The Government will bring forward new measures to address exploitative unpaid work trials shortly.

Nuclear Power: Disclosure of Information

Alex Sobel: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether the Government plans to communicate to the public the content of the ongoing discussions it holds with nuclear energy companies; and if he will make a statement.

Richard Harrington: Government regularly engages with a number of new build developers on a range of issues relevant to delivering new nuclear projects including financing. These discussions are commercially sensitive and it is therefore not appropriate to provide details.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

North Korea: USA

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the scope of the agreements reached between the United States and the DPRK at the recent summit in Singapore.

Mark Field: I refer the Rt Hon. member to the former Foreign Secretary's public statement on the DPRK on 12 June which can be found on gov.uk​

Iraq: Armed Conflict

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the security threat from former Daesh fighters fleeing Iraq to regional stability in the Middle East.

Alistair Burt: ​We assess that Daesh, including through dispersing fighters, remain a serious threat to the stability of the region and our common security. As a consequence we continue to work closely with the Global Coalition Against Daesh, and European and regional partners, to lower the risk posed by fighters in the region.

Mozambique: Terrorism

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with his international counterparts on tackling Al Sunnah wa Jama'ah in Mozambique.

Harriett Baldwin: The northern province of Mozambique, Cabo Delgado, has seen an increase in attacks by groups with links to Islamic extremism. They have been responsible for more than twenty incidents, including the murder of up to twelve villagers in late May 2018. British officials have discussed the deteriorating security situation in Cabo Delgado province with both our international partners and the Mozambican authorities. On 14 June 2018 the Foreign and Commonwealth Office changed its Travel Advice to advise against all non-essential travel to the three districts in the Cabo Delgado province where the attacks have been mounted.

Overseas Aid

Stephen Gethins: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, following the publication of the 2018 Aid Transparency Index, what steps his Department is taking to improve the transparency of the Official Development Assistance for which it is responsible.

Sir Alan Duncan: We are undertaking a review of Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) performance in the Aid Transparency Index. As part of this, the FCO is in discussion with 'Publish What You Fund', and other Whitehall Departments. These discussions, consultations with the aid transparency community experts and our ongoing programme of work towards the Government target to be “Good” or “Very Good” by 2020, have identified a number of areas for improvement in both our data production and programme documentation.

Indonesia: LGBT People

Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with his Indonesia counterpart on the rights of LGBT people in that country.

Mark Field: The UK is committed to non-discrimination on any grounds, including sexual orientation and gender identity. We are concerned at the situation for LGBT people in Indonesia. Ministers and Embassy officials regularly raise human rights issues, including those relevant to LGBT people, with the Indonesian Government.Most recently, on 5 July, I discussed with the Indonesian Ambassador the proposed changes to the country’s Penal Code which might have a negative impact on LGBT rights.

Burma: Rohingya

Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his Myanmar counterpart on the long-term rights of the Rohingya.

Mark Field: ​The former Foreign Secretary spoke to Burma's State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi most recently on 11 June. He underlined the need for swift implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding Burma signed with the United Nations on 7 June, to allow UNHCR and UNDP access to northern Rakhine to support the creation of conditions to allow the safe, voluntary and dignified return of refugees. He encouraged her to announce further details about the Commission of Inquiry into human rights violations in Rakhine, and to use the process to support reconciliation between the various communities in Rakhine, including the Rohingya.

Malaysia: Foreign Relations

Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with the new Malaysian Government.

Mark Field: ​The UK has begun engagement with the new Government of Malaysia across the broad range of our shared objectives. Shortly after the election result on 9 May, the Prime Minister sent a letter of congratulations to Prime Minister Mahathir. Our High Commissioner in Kuala Lumpur was the first foreign envoy to see Prime Minister Mahathir following his election, and has also met the Home, Finance, Economic, Education, and Transport Ministers in recent weeks. We will continue this engagement as the final ministers are appointed. The former Foreign Secretary also met Anwar Ibrahim, Leader of the governing Pakatan Harapan coalition, in London on 11 June. The Secretary of State for Defence visited Malaysia on 30 May to meet his new counterpart, Mohamad bin Sabu.

Mediterranean Sea: Refugees

Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what estimate he has made of the number of migrants departing from the Libyan coast who have drowned in the last two months.

Sir Alan Duncan: The British Government monitors closely the number of migrants who cross the Mediterranean to Europe, or attempt this dangerous crossing, including via the Central Mediterranean route from Libya to Italy. The International Organisation for Migration's (IOM) publication 'Migration Flows to Europe – Quarterly Review, Q1 2018' states that there were 497 fatalities across the three Mediterranean routes (Central Route, Western Route from Morocco to Spain and Eastern Route from Turkey to Greece) from January to March 2018 compared with 803 for the same period last year. Despite this reduction, this shows the ongoing need to tackle the challenge of illegal migration and its consequences. The British Government will continue to engage proactively with the EU and internationally in pursuit of a whole of route approach to tacking this challenge.

Mediterranean Sea: Refugees

Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what (a) financial and (b) diplomatic support the Government is offering to humanitarian rescue missions offering help to migrants departing the Libyan coast.

Sir Alan Duncan: ​The British Government recognises the value of search and rescue operations undertaken by Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) in the Mediterranean but does not provide financial or diplomatic support. Since May 2015, UK naval and Border Force assets under EU Operation Sophia and Frontex operations have rescued over 31,000 people in the central Mediterranean and Aegean.

Gulf States: Overseas Aid

Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 3 July 2018 to Question 157709, on what date the Gulf Integrated Activity Fund transferred from the Cabinet Office to his Department.

Alistair Burt: ​The Gulf Integrated Activity Fund transferred to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office at the start of the 2018-2019 financial year. It remains a cross Whitehall fund.

Gulf States: Overseas Aid

Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how much of the Integrated Activity Fund was allocated to the Ministry of Defence for the 2018-2019 financial year.

Alistair Burt: ​The Integrated Activity Fund is intended to facilitate integration and coordination across Government departments with an interest in the Gulf. As such, many of the programmes involve multiple departmental interests and it is not possible to disaggregate accurately between departments in all cases.

Gulf States: Overseas Aid

Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether the Integrated Activity Fund has received any funding from the Official Development Assistance budget.

Alistair Burt: The Integrated Activity Fund has not received funding from the Official Development Assistance budget.

Nigeria: Crimes of Violence

Fiona Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what estimate he has made of the total number of fatalities from farmer-herder clashes in Nigeria since October 2017; and what proportion of the fatalities resulting from those clashes were (a) farmers and (b) herders.

Harriett Baldwin: There is no corroborative data on the number of fatalities resulting from violence between farmers and herders in Nigeria. These clashes continue to have a devastating impact on the communities affected and both sides are believed to have suffered hundreds of casualties. We continue to urge all parties to find a peaceful solution to the complex underlying causes of these incidents.

Gaza and West Bank: Capital Punishment

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the use of the death penalty in (a) the West Bank and (b) Gaza; and what representations he has made to the Palestinian Authority on that subject.

Alistair Burt: ​The UK welcomes the Palestinian signature of the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, as an important step towards the abolition of the death penalty. We are aware of the use of the death penalty by Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The UK continues to oppose the use of the death penalty in all circumstances and works towards global abolition of the death penalty.

Department for Exiting the European Union

British Nationals Abroad: EU Countries

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what steps the Government is taking to ensure the EU upholds the commitments it has made on UK nationals living in the EU after the UK leaves the EU.

Mr Robin Walker: The Prime Minister has been clear that safeguarding the rights of UK nationals living in the EU, and EU citizens living in the UK, was her first priority for negotiations. We have reached an agreement with the EU on the rights of UK nationals in the EU, as set out in the Withdrawal Agreement, which we have drafted into legal text. The agreement confirms that any UK national resident in the EU by December 2020 will be able to continue living their lives broadly as they do now in their Member State of residence.It will be for each Member State to determine how they will implement these rights for UK nationals but the provisions of the Withdrawal Agreement will ensure any new arrangements for UK nationals are transparent, smooth and streamlined. We would like all Member States to start to put plans in place to secure the status of UK nationals in the EU, and we will continue to seek details on their progress so that we can inform UK nationals.

Legal Profession

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what assessment he has made of the effect of the terms of the draft Withdrawal Agreement, published in March 2018 on market access  in the EU for UK lawyers.

Mr Robin Walker: We have made rapid progress on the details of the Withdrawal Agreement and reached agreement on much of the legal text, including on citizens’ rights. As part of this, we have agreed to continue recognising qualifications for residents and frontier workers if their qualifications have been recognised, or are in the process of being recognised, before the end of the implementation period. This includes lawyers practising under host state titles. There are a number of issues which the Commission deemed to be outside the scope of the negotiations on the Withdrawal Agreement, including important rights such as home title practise for lawyers. Talks on these areas will continue in our negotiations with the EU on the future economic partnership. The Government is undertaking a wide range of ongoing analysis in support of our EU exit negotiations and preparations. The Government is examining all areas of the UK economy, including legal services, and seeking input from a wide range of stakeholders.

Data Protection

Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, pursuant to the Answer of 27 April 2018 to Question 137537 on Data Protection, whether the Government has made a further assessment of its decision not to apply for an adequacy decision on data from the EU as a result of Michel Barnier’s speech at the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights on 19 June 2018.

Mr Robin Walker: As the Prime Minister said in her Mansion House speech, achieving a deal on data protection is one of the foundations that must underpin the UK-EU trading relationship. We want to secure an agreement with the EU that provides stability and confidence for EU and UK business, public bodies and individuals to achieve our aims in maintaining and developing the UK’s strong economic and security links with the EU. We are seeking to build on the standard adequacy model and want to see ongoing regulatory cooperation and joined up enforcement action between UK and EU data protection authorities. This will ensure UK and EU businesses and citizens benefit from greater cross-border cooperation for resolving data protection disputes. It is important that we move quickly to ensure that personal data continues to flow after December 2020 and look forward to continuing discussions with the EU on this. It is in the best interests of citizens and businesses throughout the EU and the UK to provide the earliest possible reassurance that data flows can continue. The PM set out in her Munich and Mansion house speeches that the UK will be seeking to build on the standard adequacy model and want to see ongoing regulatory cooperation and joined up enforcement action between UK and EU data protection authorities. This will ensure UK and EU businesses and citizens benefit from greater cross-border cooperation for resolving data protection disputes.

Department of Health and Social Care

Joint Committee On Vaccination and Immunisation

Luke Pollard: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when the agenda of the next meeting of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation is planned to be published.

Steve Brine: The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) code of practice states that the agenda for a JCVI meeting is published about one week before the meeting. The next meeting is scheduled to be held on 3 October 2018. The JCVI code of practice is available at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/groups/joint-committee-on-vaccination-and-immunisation

Baby Care Units

Luke Pollard: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department plans to allocate further funding specifically for the improvement of facilities for families on neonatal units.

Jackie Doyle-Price: The Department currently has no plans to allocate funding specifically for the improvement of facilities for families on neonatal units. Plans to allocate funding specifically for the improvement of facilities for families on neonatal units are the responsibility of individual hospital trusts. When designing neonatal services, the Department expects trusts to follow the principles set out in the ‘Toolkit for high-quality neonatal services’ which includes the provision of dedicated facilities for parents and families of babies receiving neonatal care.

NHS Trusts: Subsidiary Companies

Justin Madders: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, which non Foundation NHS Trusts' requests to set up their own Private Limited Company or Wholly Owned Subsidiary he approved since January 2013; and when he approved those requests.

Justin Madders: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, which NHS (a) Trusts and (b) Foundation Trusts in England have (a) created Private Limited Companies for their outpatient pharmacy services and (b) outsourced their outpatient pharmacy services to another provider; and when each Trust made that decision.

Stephen Barclay: Ministers do not have a role in approving Private Limited Company or Wholly Owned Subsidiary The NHS Act 2004 gives foundation trusts the power to establish Wholly Owned Subsidiaries and Private Limited Companies. Neither the Department nor its arm’s length bodies holds validated information on which NHS trusts and foundation trusts in England have created Private Limited Companies for their outpatient pharmacy services and outsourced their outpatient pharmacy services to another provider; and when each trust made that decision.

Nurses: Training

Justin Madders: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many applications for disability nursing degrees were received in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available.

Caroline Dinenage: The number of applications to learning disability nursing courses in England is shown in the following table. Number of applications to learning disability coursesEntry year2011/122012/132013/142014/152015/162016/172017/18Number of applications2,1251,9402,1552,4802,1252,3401,265Source: Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) bespoke data - end of cycle 2017 Notes:- “End of cycle” refers to the final position released by UCAS once main and clearing application cycles are complete.- Applications refer to those made during the main UCAS application cycle. These do not include those made through clearing.- These data do not include applications made directly to universities.- Each unique applicant can make up to five main scheme applications.- Data for years prior to 2011/12 are not available.

Nurses: Training

Justin Madders: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many students started disability nursing degrees in each of the last 10  years for which figures are available.

Caroline Dinenage: The number of students who started learning disability nursing courses in each academic year is shown in the following tables: Number of entrants to learning disability courses (Education Commissioning (EdCom) data)Entry yearNumber of entrants2007/086172008/096292009/107232010/116422011/125742012/136182013/146032014/156392015/166072016/17608Source: Health Education England (HEE), EdCom data. Number of entrants to learning disability courses (Higher Education Students Early Statistics Survey (HESES) data)Entry yearNumber of entrants2017/18454Source: Office for Students, HESES. Notes: - Following changes to student funding in August 2017, HEE is no longer responsible for directly commissioning course places and no longer collect EdCom data. - Data for 2017/18 are shown in the second table. They were collected for the HESES. The survey is based on a census of students who start their course before December and an estimate of those who start later in the year. - It should be noted that when comparing data in the tables, differences to the number of entrants could be due to differences in data collection methods.

Sepsis: Medical Treatments

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with NICE on the development of new treatments for sepsis; and if he will make a statement.

Steve Brine: We have had no such discussions. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is responsible for developing authoritative guidance for the National Health Service on the use of drugs and other treatments, but does not develop new treatments. NICE published a clinical guideline in September 2017 that provides evidence-based guidance for the NHS on the recognition, diagnosis and early management of sepsis. The guideline can be found at the following link: https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng51

Orkambi

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many times NHS England has met Vertex to discuss Orkambi; and whether any steps have been taken as a result of those meetings.

Steve Brine: NHS England has advised that it has met Vertex 5 times since July 2017 to discuss Orkambi. We are further advised that discussions are ongoing to seek to agree a commercial deal that would make Orkambi available to National Health Service patients.

Naloxone

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to enable the provision of new nasal forms of naloxone to help prevent deaths from opioid overdose; and if he will make a statement.

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the approval by the European Medicines Agency of nasal forms of naloxone to prevent deaths from opioid overdose; what progress his Department has made on implementing the guidance published by his Department entitled Widening the availability of naloxone; and if he will make a statement.

Steve Brine: Naloxone is a prescription-only medicine and it is on this basis that any new nasal naloxone products would be available when brought to the United Kingdom market. Under regulations that came into force in October 2015, people employed or engaged in the provision of drug treatment services can, as part of their role, supply naloxone that has been obtained by their drug service to others, as long as it is supplied for the purpose of being available to save life in an emergency. A prescription is not needed for the naloxone to be supplied in this way. There has been no formal assessment of the decision of the European Medicines Agency to approve nasal forms of naloxone, however, officials from the Department, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency and Public Health England (PHE) continue to work together to identify the best available legislative option to enable nasal naloxone to be provided on the same basis as injectable naloxone. Local authorities are responsible for commissioning drug treatment services and interventions to reduce drug-related harm, including naloxone, based on local need. PHE continues to provide advice and support to local authorities on expanding naloxone provision.

Prescriptions: Fees and Charges

Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many fines were levied on people who wrongly claimed free prescriptions in each year for which information is available; and how much money was raised for the public purse from those fines.

Steve Brine: The NHS Business Services Authority assumed responsibility for the Prescription Exemption Checking Service in September 2014. The following table shows numbers of Penalty Charge Notices issued each year since then for individuals who have claimed exemption from prescription charges, but that exemption could not be verified. It also shows the funds recovered from this activity. Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) issued yearPCNs IssuedValue recovered201435,812£525,658.382015408,478£7,308,289.642016864,366£13,825,459.0920171,052,430£18,180,971.122018629,202£9,745,351.97 Notes:- Date range covered September 2014 – 1 July 2018- Value recovered can change overtime

Hepatitis

Anneliese Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many people accessed treatment for hepatitis C in 2017-18 in (a) the Thames Valley Hep C Operational Delivery Network and (b) throughout England.

Steve Brine: In 2017-18 the Thames Valley hepatitis C Operational Delivery Network (ODN) treated 425 patients and throughout England, ODNs treated 11,557 patients.

Alcoholic Drinks: Industry

Mrs Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what meetings his Department had with representatives of the alcohol industry in (a) 2017 and (b) 2018 to date.

Steve Brine: Officials from the Department have met alcohol industry representatives on a number of occasions in 2017 and 2018 to discuss areas of common interest relating to alcohol and related harms. Topics for discussion have included the recent low alcohol labelling consultation, the United Kingdom Chief Medical Officers’ low risk alcohol guidelines, international discussions on alcohol and promotion of lower and zero alcohol products.

Food Poverty: Surveys

Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans he has for the review of the Food and You Survey; and if he will make a statement.

Steve Brine: In line with recommendations of an independent evaluation of Waves 1-3, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) has commissioned its Advisory Committee for Social Science to provide advice and recommendations on the future of the Food and You survey. The findings from the survey are used widely, both within the FSA, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and in the academic community, but the FSA is keen to maximise value from the survey and ensure that it is still the right tool for the job. This review has commenced, and will be completed by spring 2019 ahead of the launch of the 2020 survey (Wave 6). The advisory committee has been asked to offer advice on the following: - The value, pros and cons of different methodologies and on how we might discover, develop, test and pilot these to find the optimum way of meeting Food and You’s objectives in the future;- Whether linking Food and You with other datasets might provide richer insights, or better value for money;- Stakeholders who might be interested in the survey and its outputs; and- How best to use and communicate the results of Food and You.

Food Poverty: Surveys

Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans he has to continue beyond 2019 the Food and You Survey.

Steve Brine: The Food Standards Agency has commissioned its Advisory Committee for Social Science to provide advice and recommendations on the future of the Food and You survey, in order to ensure that the survey provides value for money and the right tools for the job. This review has commenced, and will be completed by spring 2019. There is a break clause with the survey contractor after each wave of the Food and You survey. The continuation of the survey, the methodology employed, and the topics covered will be agreed following the recommendation from the review.

Alcoholic Drinks: Misuse

Neil Coyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to Public Health England's blog of 9 November 2017, Alcohol and drug treatment in England: the picture from the 2016-17 data, what assessment he has made of the reasons for the 12 per cent fall in the number of people seeking treatment for alcohol in the last three years.

Steve Brine: Public Health England is working with local authorities to review treatment numbers and assess the reasons for changes in the number of people in treatment. The findings are currently being analysed and advice will be provided to local authorities.

Clinical Priorities Advisory Group

Mark Tami: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 27 March to Question 134482 on the Clinical Priorities Advisory Group, when NHS England plans to communicate the results of the Specialised Services Commissioning Committee meeting held on 19 June 2018.

Steve Brine: The outcome of NHS England’s latest Specialised Commissioning prioritisation round was published on 7 July 2018. Further details can be found on NHS England’s website and accessed via the following link: https://www.england.nhs.uk/2018/07/thousands-of-patients-to-benefit-from-innovative-new-treatments-on-the-nhs/

Prostate Cancer: Health Education

Rehman Chishti: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much funding his Department has allocated to prostate cancer awareness campaigns since 2010.

Steve Brine: The Be Clear on Cancer spend on prostate cancer is available in the following table. Public Health England (PHE) ran a Be Clear on Cancer prostate cancer local pilot campaign from October to November 2014, specifically targeting Black African-Caribbean men, because of their significantly increased risk of developing prostate cancer compared to the general male population. The campaign included posters, print, community radio messaging, street ambassadors and public relations. All campaign materials have been made available to Prostate Cancer UK so that they can be used in any future activity. Marketing spend on prostate cancer 2010-2017Financial Year(s)Marketing Spend2010-13£02013-14£270,0002014-15£02015-17£0Total£270,000 Notes:Marketing spend is defined for this purpose as advertising spend covering only the media costs (inclusive of agency commission).These figures do not include recruitment/classified advertising costs and ad hoc spend under £10,000.All figures rounded to the nearest £10,000.All PHE spend over £25,000, including on public health campaigns, is published routinely and available at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/phe-spend-over-25000

General Practitioners

Mr Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent estimate he has made of the number of GPs who (a) have been allocated funds for property rental and (b) are granted NHS premises who fail to pay the rent due; and if he will make a statement.

Steve Brine: The Department owns two companies that provide premises for general practitioner (GP) services: NHS Property Services Ltd and Community Health Partnerships Ltd. At the end of the 2017-18 financial year, £202 million of rent and associated charges was recorded as overdue from GPs in the two companies’ accounts. NHS England and clinical commissioning groups provide funding to GPs for premises costs. There is no centrally held assessment of numbers of GP practices who have received premises funding and not paid it to either of the companies.

Prisoners: Prescription Drugs

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate he has made of the number of prisoners who were given incorrect medication, in each of the last 3 years.

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate he has made of the number of prisoners who were given incorrect doses of prescribed medication in each of the last three years.

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate he has made of the number of prisoners who were taken to hospital after being given incorrect prescription medication in each of the last three years.

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many incidents of secondary dispensing of prescribed medication have occurred in prisons in each of the last three years.

Jackie Doyle-Price: The information requested regarding incorrect medication, incorrect doses of prescribed medication, the number of prisoners taken to hospital after being given the incorrect medication and incidents of secondary dispensing of prescribed medications is not collected centrally.

Obesity: Children

Nick Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the timetable is for the Government's next steps following its consultation on proposed measures in chapter two of the childhood obesity plan.

Steve Brine: Further details about the consultations announced in chapter 2 of the childhood obesity plan will be available later this year. We will consider all responses to the consultations before setting out the next steps. ‘Childhood obesity: a plan for action, chapter 2’ is available at the following link: www.gov.uk/government/publications/childhood-obesity-a-plan-for-action-chapter-2

Care Homes

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will include reference to the financial pressures faced by care-home chains in his Department's forthcoming Green Paper.

Caroline Dinenage: The Green Paper will consider the fundamental issues facing the care system, including the future sustainability of the market.

NHS: Apprentices

Angela Rayner: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 15 June 2018 to Question 152627, how many NHS apprenticeship starts there were by (a) employer and (b) region in each of those three years.

Stephen Barclay: Data on the number of apprenticeship starts by employer are not currently held in the format requested. The estimated numbers of apprenticeship starts for 2015/16 and 2016/17 split by region are set out in the following table. Region2015/162016/17East Midlands1,8901,167East of England2,7672,509Kent Surrey and Sussex1,277943North East1,239750North West3,4511,747North West London746551North, Central and East London8141,087South London718553South West1,9151,617Thames Valley630598Wessex931615West Midlands2,0211,850Yorkshire and Humber1,4211,545Total19,82015,532Source: Health Education England Figures on the numbers of public sector apprenticeships are not yet available for 2017/18. Public bodies in scope of the public sector apprenticeships target are required to report on their progress annually. The first reports, covering the 2017/18 period, are due by 30 September 2018.

Department for International Development

South Sudan: Food

Preet Kaur Gill: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will allocate additional funding to tackle food insecurity in South Sudan.

Harriett Baldwin: Food insecurity is at its worst in South Sudan’s seven year history. The lean season has begun, and due to continued disruptions to the delivery of humanitarian aid, there is a risk of famine in some areas.In 2018 we are the second largest donor to the UN’s Humanitarian Response Plan for South Sudan.

Developing Countries: Tuberculosis

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what plans the Government has to seek the inclusion of an affirmation of the right of all countries to use TRIPS flexibilities to ensure access affordable medicines in the UN tuberculosis high level meeting outcome document.

Alistair Burt: The Department for International Development is playing a proactive role in shaping the content of the outcome document for the forthcoming UNGA High Level Meeting on Tuberculosis, which is still being negotiated. The UK’s position is that the outcome document must be consistent with agreed international treaties on intellectual property rights, notably TRIPS and the Doha Declaration on Public Health (2001). In line with the declaration, we support developing countries in utilising TRIPS flexibilities in the case of national health emergencies such as pandemics.

Developing Countries: Poliomyelitis

Rehman Chishti: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much funding has been allocated by her Department for the eradication of polio globally since 2010.

Alistair Burt: The Global Polio Eradication Initiative has been an extraordinary success story with cases being reduced from 350,000 a year in 125 countries in 1988, to 22 last year with only 3 countries not yet declared polio-free. The UK has supported this effort with a current spend of £453 million since 2010, and a cumulative investment of £1.3 billion since 1988. The UK continues to be a staunch supporter of the eradication effort.

Burma: Internally Displaced People

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what proportion of her Department's (a) 2017-2018 and (b) 2018-2019 Burma budgets has been allocated to support internally displaced people in Kachin and Shan states.

Alistair Burt: DFID Burma allocated 4.8% of its 2017/18 bilateral programme budget and 8.1% of its 2018/2019 bilateral programme budget to support internally displaced people in Kachin and Shan States.

Department for Education

Pupils: Personal Records

Thangam Debbonaire: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether he is taking steps with Cabinet colleagues to ensure that no Government Departments distribute pupil data to commercial companies and journalists.

Nick Gibb: The Department is the main data controller responsible for the appropriate use of centrally held pupil data.Before any data can be shared it has to go through a strict governance process. Officials, including legal experts and senior civil servants with data expertise, assess the application for public benefit, legal underpinning, proportionality (ensuring the minimum amount of data is used to meet the purpose), and that strict information security standards have been satisfied.Commercial companies (such as those who provide systems that schools utilise to reflect and benchmark detailed areas of performance) may occasionally receive extracts of pupil data, subject to the strict governance and security measures in place. Similarly, if a suitably skilled researcher working for a media organisation can satisfy all aspects of the governance process, they may be able to undertake a research project.The Department is working to provide ways for researchers to access centrally held data rather than distributing the data to them.The Government publishes information about all of its data sharing as part of its commitment to transparency.

Mathematics: Teachers

Nic Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 2 July 2018 to Question 156624, how many and what proportion of maths teachers in receipt of bursaries are still teaching after (a) three, (b) four and (c) five years.

Nic Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 2 July 2018 to Question 156624, how many and what proportion of teachers of subjects other than maths are still in teaching after (a) three, (b) four and (c) five years.

Nick Gibb: The Department is currently undertaking detailed analysis of teacher training and school workforce data to explore the proportion of bursary holders awarded qualified teacher status (QTS) and the progression of bursary holders into the state funded workforce in England. This will include analysis of employment and retention rates by trainee bursary status (whether a trainee received a bursary), and whether the subject for which a trainee received a bursary is the subject they go on to teach. The Department intends to publish this analysis later in the year.Table 8 of the School Workforce Census 2017 includes analysis of teacher retention rates over time, but this data is not currently available by subject and does not consider whether the teacher received a bursary during teacher training. This table is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/school-workforce-in-england-november-2017.Whilst not a direct measure of retention, the Department has recently published new analysis of employment rates of trainees awarded QTS in state-funded schools in England. This analysis does not consider whether a trainee received a bursary during their teacher training, but does include employment rates by subject in Table T1.4 of the Teacher Analysis Compendium (February 2018) is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/teachers-analysis-compendium-3. Analysis of teacher wastage rates can also be found by subject in Tables T2.1 to T2.4 of the Teacher Analysis Compendium (May 2017) is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/teachers-analysis-compendium-2017.The Department is piloting a phased bursary for mathematics trainee teachers starting initial teacher training in the 2018/19 academic year, which comprises a lower bursary upfront followed by two additional early-career payments once in teaching. The pilot will test whether this approach secures a greater supply of teachers than the upfront bursary.

Academies

Justin Madders: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 24 May 2018 to Question 146286 on Academies, if he will make it his policy to allow failing academy schools to be placed back into local authority control.

Nadhim Zahawi: We have no plans to consider returning schools back to local authorities. Indeed, as of March 2018 nearly 516,000 pupils now study in sponsored academies that are rated Good or Outstanding; they typically replaced underperforming maintained schools.I firmly believe that becoming an academy can bring enormous benefits to schools and their pupils; coming together in a multi-academy trusts (MAT), sharing expertise, working collaboratively, driving improvements.Hundreds of schools every year continue to voluntarily choose to become an academy and join a MAT.The department is working on a range of methods and tools for building MAT capacity and assessing risk.

Special Educational Needs: Finance

James Frith: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of ensuring that funding for SEN pupils follows individual pupils.

Nadhim Zahawi: The current arrangements for funding pupils with special educational needs (SEN) in mainstream schools were introduced in 2013. Local authorities are required to allocate funds to schools to a level that enables them to meet the additional cost of pupils with SEN up to £6,000 per annum. This ensures that funding follows pupils to the schools that provide their education and SEN support, and also that there are not perverse incentives for schools to label children as having SEN to attract funding for additional support that is not needed.The new national funding formula for schools distributes the majority of funding to local authorities on the basis of pupil numbers and characteristics. Local authorities then fund schools under a local formula that allocates funding to schools based on their pupils and their characteristics. Factors such as the number of pupils with low attainment in the previous phase of their education act as a proxy for the level of SEN in a school. When the costs of additional support required for a pupil with SEN exceed £6,000, the local authority should allocate additional top-up funding to cover the excess costs. This top-up funding follows the pupil for as long as they are at the school and require additional support at that level. Similarly, pupils with SEN in special schools also receive top-up funding from an authority’s high needs budget to cover costs in excess of special school place funding.We continue to keep these arrangements under review to make sure that resources are directed where they are needed to support children and young people with SEN.

Special Educational Needs: Finance

James Frith: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions has he had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the level of high needs block funding in the next two years.

Nick Gibb: My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State frequently meets Treasury Ministers, including my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer to discuss matters of shared interest.High needs funding is a priority for the Government. Last year, the Department provided £130 million in additional funding for high needs, and a further £142 million this year. Nationally, high needs funding has risen from a total of £5 billion in 2013-14 to £6 billion in 2018-19.The Department is monitoring the impact of the national funding formula for high needs on local authority spending decisions, and is keeping the overall amount of funding for high needs under review.

University Academy Warrington

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what consultations he plans to undertake on the future of University Academy Warrington; and if he will make a statement.

Nadhim Zahawi: On Thursday 28 June 2018, the University of Chester Academies Trust published a statement saying it has agreed the best option for each of its academies is to join another trust. This is in the light of ongoing educational and financial challenges at the trust. Ofsted has judged two of its academies as inadequate and the trust was made subject to a Financial Notice to Improve in May 2018.The department’s priority is to ensure all pupils receive the best possible education. In this case, officials are working closely with a range of stakeholders to secure the future of the trust’s academies, including University of Academy Warrington, with minimum disruption for the pupils involved. Consultation with those impacted by the rebrokerage of an academy from one trust to another is usually led by the academy trusts involved.The Regional School Commissioner’s Office is in communication with University Academy Warrington, its governing body and the local authority in relation to the rebrokerage.

Teachers: Coventry

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many and what proportion of teachers in Coventry since 2010 are still in teaching after (a) three, (b) four and (c) five years.

Nick Gibb: Information on the retention of teachers in all state funded schools in England for the years to November 2017 is available in Table 8 of the publication, ‘School Workforce in England’, November 2017 available at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/school-workforce-in-england-november-2017. The Department recognises that there are differences in teacher recruitment and retention at a sub-national level and by subject and has been working to understand this. Information at local authority or regional level comparable to the national figures for 2016 and 2017 is not available. Information is available on the number of qualified teachers entering and leaving the profession by region for the years 2010 to 2015. It is published as part of the statistical release, Local analysis of Teacher Workforce: 2010 to 2015. Tables 2.1a (secondary) and 2.1b (primary) show the leaving rates, by region in state funded schools for the years 2011 to 2015. Information for entrants is shown in Table 2.3a (secondary) and Table 2.3b (primary) of this publication. Comparable information at local authority level is not available.This publication can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/local-analysis-of-teacher-workforce-2010-to-2015.

Teachers: Coventry

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many and what proportion of teachers in Coventry since 2010 are still teaching English after (a) three, (b) four and (c) five years.

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many and what proportion of Maths teachers in Coventry since 2010 are still in teaching after (a) three, (b) four and (c) five years.

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many and what proportion of Modern Foreign Language teachers in Coventry since 2010 are still in teaching after (a) three, (b) four and (c) five years.

Nick Gibb: Information on the retention of teachers in all state funded schools in England for the years up to November 2017 is available in Table 8 of the publication, ‘School Workforce in England’, November 2017 available at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/school-workforce-in-england-november-2017.The Department recognises that there are differences in teacher recruitment and retention at a sub-national level and by subject. Information at local authority or regional level comparable to the national figures for 2016 and 2017 is not available. Information is available on the number of qualified teachers entering and leaving the profession by region for the years 2010 to 2015. It is published as part of the statistical release, ‘Local analysis of Teacher Workforce: 2010 to 2015’ which can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/local-analysis-of-teacher-workforce-2010-to-2015.Information on entrants and leavers rates for secondary school teachers by subject taught is available in the ‘Teachers analysis compendium: 2017’. Information on entrants’ rates by subject is shown in table 2.1, information on leavers’ rates is shown in table 2.2. This publication is available at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/teachers-analysis-compendium-2017.Regional information on retention broken down by subject taught is not available.

Department for Education: Qualifications

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many and what proportion of staff of his Department hold Masters degrees.

Anne Milton: The information requested is not held centrally.

T-levels

Peter Kyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what contingency plans he has made in the event that the September 2020 implementation of the first three T levels is missed; and if he will make a statement.

Anne Milton: The timetable for the delivery of the T Level programme is ambitious, which is why we are keeping it under regular review. The delivery of T Levels in 2020 is purposely focused on a small number of T Levels in a small number of providers. We have already announced the providers who will deliver the first three T Levels, and we are in the process of collecting key data to make sure that these providers have the support they need to meet the timetable.Over the coming months we will continue to monitor progress, working closely with education providers, employers and delivery partners so that we remain on track for delivery in 2020.

Ministry of Justice

Legal Aid Scheme

Ellie Reeves: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether he has made an assessment of the long-term viability of the criminal legal aid system; and if he will make a statement.

Ellie Reeves: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether he has made an assessment of the long-term viability of the police station duty solicitor scheme; and if he will make a statement.

Lucy Frazer: The Government is clear that there are sufficient solicitors and barristers to undertake criminal legal aid-funded cases and will make sure this continues to be the case. The Legal Aid Agency monitors capacity across criminal legal aid contracts on a regular basis and takes action to ensure there is ongoing availability of criminal legal advice for the public. Last year £891 million was spent on criminal legal aid so that those who most need legal support are able to get it.

Legal Profession: Criminal Proceedings

Ellie Reeves: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps his Department has taken to ensure the adequacy of the number of lawyers (a) entering and (b) remaining in criminal defence.

Lucy Frazer: As the legal profession in England and Wales is independent of Government, responsibility for the training and entrance to the legal profession rests with the regulatory bodies, such as the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) and the Bar Standards Board (BSB). The SRA is currently working on introducing a new Solicitors Qualifying Exam, which it hopes will lower costs and open up a variety of routes into the profession, and the BSB has a Future Bar training programme of regulatory change, focussing on education and training for the Bar. There are sufficient lawyers to undertake criminal legal aid-funded cases and will make sure this continues to be the case. The Legal Aid Agency monitors capacity across criminal legal aid contracts on a regular basis and takes action to ensure there is ongoing availability of criminal legal advice for the public. Last year almost £900m was spent on criminal legal aid so that those who most need legal support are able to get it.

Prisons

Richard Burgon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the oral contribution of the Minister of State for Justice of 2 July 2018, Official Report, column 100, in how many prisons the system of weekly 45 minute individual meetings between prisoners and prison officers has started.

Richard Burgon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the oral contribution of the Minister of State for Justice of 2 July 2018, Official Report, column 100, how his Department is monitoring the (a) introduction of and (b) operational delivery of weekly 45 minute individual meetings between prisoners and prison officers.

Richard Burgon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the oral contribution of the Minister of State for Justice of 2 July 2018, Official Report, column 100, what data his Department is collecting on the (a) introduction of and (b) operational delivery of weekly 45 minute individual meetings between prisoners and prison officers.

Rory Stewart: The Offender Management in Custody (OMiC) operating model is currently being rolled out across the prison estate. Roll-out of key workers, who will conduct these sessions, has commenced in 42 prisons to date with 6 prisons having fully rolled out. We are closely monitoring staff recruitment, key worker training, development of implementation plans and delivery of key worker sessions at each site via monthly data returns, and key workers are required to make an entry on NOMIS following each key worker session, that are monitored for data quantity and quality.

Domestic Violence: Sentencing

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many and what proportion of people convicted of domestic abuse were given a prison sentence in each of the last three years.

Edward Argar: Offences involving domestic abuse can take various forms and are prosecuted under the offence in law that best reflects their nature and circumstances, for example, harassment, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, a public order offence. These offences can take the form of domestic abuse or non-domestic abuse. Data collected from courts does not distinguish between the two and this information could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Risley Prison

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether he plans to change the function of Risley prison.

Rory Stewart: The Government set out its ambition for a reformed prison estate in the November 2016 Prison Safety and Reform White Paper. Through the prison estate transformation programme we are getting the basics right by building decent prisons to improve rehabilitation and create safe and secure environments for staff and offenders. As well as constructing up to 10,000 new prison places we are reconfiguring the existing estate so that prisoners will be held in the right place at the right time and their rehabilitation can be managed more effectively. HMP Risley is currently a category C training prison and a hub for foreign national offenders (FNOs) with an embedded Home Office Immigration Enforcement (HOIE) team. The Prison Estate Transformation Programme aims to simplify the estate to align the supply of prison places with demand. Part of the planned changes will see HMP Risley increase its FNO population, becoming an FNO Specialist Prison. This will allow greater concentration of those offenders of interest to HOIE, who are currently dispersed throughout the prison estate, and deliver a more focused service to these offenders.

Ministry of Justice: Buildings

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 3 July 2018 to Question 157090, on Ministry of Justice: buildings, what estimate his Department has made of the cost of substantively answering that question.

Edward Argar: The cost of substantively answering the question are estimated on the hours required to retrieve the information requested. In this instance it would require the manual searching of 5600 files relating to 18 ministers over a period of two years.

Ministry of Justice: Buildings

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 3 July 2018 to Question 157090, on Ministry of Justice: buildings, how many days each Minister of his Department has spent in Petty France between 12 May and 12 June 2018.

Edward Argar: Between 12 May and 12 June Dr Phillip Lee spent 12 days in the Ministry of Justice; David Gauke MP 13 days; Lucy Frazer MP 19 days and Rory Stewart MP 11 days. Lord Keen has a dual role as Advocate General for Scotland and MoJ spokesperson in the House of Lords, as such he spent 6 days in the department on Ministry of Justice business.

Reoffenders: Community Orders

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what plans he has to commence Section 151 of the Criminal Justice Act 2003 to allow courts to use community orders instead of fines for repeat offenders of low-level offences.

Rory Stewart: There are no current plans to commence Section 151 of the Criminal Justice Act 2003. Section 143(2) of that Act requires courts to treat previous convictions as an aggravating factor when sentencing. The Sentencing Council’s guideline on theft offences came into force in 2016. This guideline allows for the imposition of community sentences for shop theft in a wide range of circumstances. In cases involving significant persistent offending, the community and custodial thresholds may be crossed even though the offence otherwise warrants a lesser sentence.

Exeter Prison

Richard Burgon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 4 July 2018 to Question 159035 on Exeter Prison, what the total value is of the additional funding drawn from that range of business as usual budgets which have been allocated to HMP Exeter in order for it to meet his Department's response to the Urgent Notification.

Rory Stewart: HMP Exeter is in the process of costing plans to enact the points raised in the Urgent Notification to deliver long term change. Additional resource, including a team of specialists – former prison Governors and Senior Civil Servants from around the country – are working with the prison to transform its safety strategy and address the drivers of violence and self-harm. Separately, the Secretary of State has made it clear that putting in place decent, safe and secure prisons for staff and offenders is one of our main priorities and, as such, has allocated additional capital budget to Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service for prioritisation. In line with the published action plan, HMP Exeter has been allocated £150,000 to improve cells and £160,000 to improve their shower areas from this funding in 2018-19. In addition, the care and separation unit has also recently been refurbished at a cost of £45,075.

Immigration: Appeals

Angela Crawley: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the average wait for an immigration appeal tribunal is from time of decision to tribunal date in the most recent period for which figures are available.

Lucy Frazer: HM Courts & tribunals service (HMCTS) does not hold data measuring the time from a Home Office decision.  HMCTS has worked extensively to reduce waiting times and in response to a higher level of receipts than forecast, increased the number of judicial sittings to deal with incoming receipts and reduce the live caseload. This has seen the live caseload nearly halve from 64,800 to 36,300 between June 2016 and March 2018 and the average waiting time has now begun to improve from 45 weeks in 2017 to 37 weeks in the period January to March 2018. Further improvement will follow.

Prison Accommodation

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prisoners were placed in cells of three prisoners or more in each of the last three years.

Rory Stewart: Through the Government’s Prison Estate Transformation Programme we are getting the basics right by building decent prisons to improve rehabilitation and create safe and secure environments for staff and offenders. Our reforms will see us close down and redevelop ageing prisons and deliver up to 10,000 new places in high-quality, modern establishments fit for today’s demands. We will only transform our prisons into places of rehabilitation if we ensure that we address basic issues such as cleanliness, decency and safety. We keep the prison population and capacity under careful review to ensure that there is always sufficient capacity. The table below identifies the number of prisoners, as at 30 June in each of the last three years, held in cells or living accommodation certified to hold three or more prisoners. This figure will include prisoners held in dormitories, cells and healthcare units that are certified on both a crowded or uncrowded basis to hold three or more prisoners.DateNumber of prisoners held three or more in the same location (1)Total PopulationProportion held three or more in the same location (1) as a proportion of total population30 June, 20161394851341.64%30 June, 20171469858631.71%30 June, 20181277828181.54%

CAFCASS

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people applied for the position of Chair of the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service.

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the recent application process was for the position of Chair of Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service.

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, who sat on the interview panel for the position of Chair of the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service.

Lucy Frazer: A total of nine applications were received for the Cafcass Chair role; one applicant subsequently withdrew from the campaign.  The competition was undertaken in line with the Cabinet Office Governance Code on Public Appointments.  The Advisory Assessment Panel which was agreed by the Secretary of State comprised:- Melissa Case (Panel Chair), Director, Family and Criminal Justice Policy, Ministry of Justice;- Liz Doherty, Non-Executive Board Member, Ministry of Justice; and- Jody Chatterjee, a member of the Judicial Appointments Commission independent panellist, the independent member.

Trials

Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the settlement rate was in the fast track in the 12 months up to and including May 2018.

Lucy Frazer: The settlement rate for claims allocated to the fast track in England and Wales in the 12 months up to and including March 2018 which are the latest available data, is 52%.

Small Claims

Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many trials occurred in the small claims track in the 12 months up to and including May 2018.

Lucy Frazer: The number of small claims trials in England and Wales in 12 months up to and including March 2018, which is the latest available information, is:YearQuarterVolume 2017Q29,924  Q310,433  Q410,278 2018Q1(provisional)11,012  FY 2017/18Total41,647 Source: Civil Justice Statistics Quarterly, MoJ

Department for International Trade

Trade Agreements: India

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what non-tariff barriers his Department expects to remove and progress in a future free trade deal with India in (a) the life sciences, (b) information technology and (c) food and drink sectors.

George Hollingbery: The UK-India Joint Trade Review (JTR), announced during the Prime Minister’s visit to India in 2016, has enabled us to better understand the bilateral trade relationship. The review audited existing trade flows and mapped non-tariff barriers that could be collaboratively addressed, both at present and as we leave the EU. We’ve also begun a technical dialogue- between the ONS and Reserve Bank of India- to better understand statistics on UK-India trade in services. Following the recommendations of the JTR, both countries agreed that the next phase of collaborative work will focus specifically on non-tariff barriers in the life sciences, ICT, and food and drink sectors. This is being pursued through further engagement with stakeholders including businesses, and through ongoing dialogue with the Government of India. Progress will be reported back to Ministers at the next Joint Economic and Trade Committee, expected towards the end of the year.

Nuclear Power: Decommissioning

Jeremy Lefroy: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential for UK businesses to export nuclear decommissioning expertise as a result of the French Government's decision to decommission 17 nuclear reactors by 2025.

Graham Stuart: Services are a vitally important part of the UK economy and UK expertise across all sectors are in high demand around the world. In January, the UK and French Governments signed a Declaration of Intent to enhance collaboration in civil nuclear decommissioning and waste management in France, the UK and potentially third countries.The Department for International Trade, together with partners across HMG, is working closely with the French Government and the UK and French private sector to identify decommissioning opportunities in our respective civil nuclear markets.

Trade Agreements

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, how many countries have stated that their free trade agreements with the United Kingdom which are contingent on its membership of the EU will (a) be rolled over during a transition period and (b) continue once that period is over.

George Hollingbery: Holding answer received on 10 July 2018



Under the terms of the draft Withdrawal Agreement, the UK is to be treated as a Member State for the purposes of international agreements in the Implementation Period. This will enable continuity across our existing trade agreements through this period, and many of our trading partners have issued public statements in support of this approach.In parallel to this, we continue to work towards bilateral agreements that will ensure continuity beyond the Implementation Period. We have had positive discussions with our trading partners on these agreements, and are confident of securing a smooth transition for businesses and consumers.

Overseas Trade: Developing Countries

Jo Stevens: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of establishing a scheme of tariff-free trade for less developed countries after the UK leaves the EU similar to the Generalised Scheme of Preferences the UK currently participates in through its EU membership.

George Hollingbery: Holding answer received on 10 July 2018



The way to end poverty is through inclusive economic growth, jobs, investment and trade. As the UK leaves the EU, we recognise the need for a smooth transition in our trading arrangements with developing countries. That is why the UK Government has introduced legislation which enables the UK to put in place a trade preference scheme. This will deliver on our commitment to maintain tariff free access to the UK for Least Developed Countries.

Dumping

Jack Brereton: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, how the Government plans to calculate dumping margins in situations where state interventions and other distortions mean that a standard anti-dumping methodology is not an appropriate way to establish normal value after the UK leaves the EU.

George Hollingbery: We are committed to protecting UK industry where it is suffering injury as a result of dumped imports. Secondary legislation will introduce provisions to tackle those cases concerning countries where there are particular market situations. Those situations occur when it is not possible to use the domestic prices in the exporting country to calculate the dumping margin, because prices and input costs do not reflect competitive market conditions. In such cases the Trade Remedies Authority (TRA) will be able to use alternative methodologies. These alternative methodologies will include the use of export prices to an appropriate third country, provided they are representative, and will enable the TRA to construct the prices on the basis of cost of production, selling, general and admin costs and profit. Secondary legislation will also provide that the exporter’s cost data may be adjusted, where justified on a case by case basis, based on among other things prices from a representative country.We will set out in secondary legislation examples of situations, such as where prices are artificially low, for example as a result of government intervention, where significant barter trade exists, or where non-commercial processing arrangements occur. Other economies, such as the EU and the US, have similar mechanisms in place to protect the domestic industry from unfair trade practices and the UK will be no different.

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Local Government

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 2 July 2018 to Question 156335 on Local Government, what information his Department holds on the (a) number and (b) subject of directions made by his Department to local authorities in the last year.

James Brokenshire: The information requested is not collected centrally but from available information, which may not capture all directions, my Department has issued the following directions to local authorities in the past year. Subject of direction made by MHCLGNumberHousing Act 2004Direction to all local housing authorities under section 3(3) of the Housing Act 2004 instructing them to pay particular regard to cladding related issues when reviewing housing in their areas1Local Government Act 1999Direction to Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council under section 15(5) and (6) of the Local Government Act 1999 returning 5 additional functions to the Council previously operated by Commissioners1Direction to Northamptonshire County Council under section 15(5) and (6) of the Local Government Act 1999 Act handing over functions to Commissioners appointed by the Secretary of State1Local Government Act 2003Direction under Section 16(2) of the Local Government Act 2003 to all local authorities allowing them to fund the revenue costs of service transformation from capital receipts for a six year period ending on 31 March 2022 without prior government consent provided they have regard to statutory guidance1Direction to the London Borough of Lambeth under Section 16(2) of the Local Government Act 2003 allowing the £100million capitalisation of revenue expenditure to finance a redress scheme for the survivors of historic sexual abuse1Direction to Fenland District Council under Section 16(2) of the Local Government Act 2003 allowing the £2million capitalisation of revenue expenditure to finance the payment of a section 75 pension liability1Local Government Pension Scheme Regulations 2013Direction under the Local Government Pension Scheme Regulations 2013 to local authorities in their capacity as Local Government Pension Fund Administering Authorities instructing that the pension interests of an employer may be allocated to a particular fund10Local Government Act 1986Direction to the London Borough of Hackney under section 4A of the Local Government Act 1986 on compliance with the Code of Practice on Local Authority Publicity2Direction to the London Borough of Waltham Forest under section 4A of the Local Government Act 1986 on compliance with the Code of Practice on Local Authority Publicity2Town and Country Planning Act 1990 Direction under section 77 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 calling in a planning application for determination by the Secretary of State12Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) (England) Order 2015Article 31 (holding) direction to local planning authorities under section 31 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) (England) Order 2015 delaying the granting of planning permission until the Secretary of State has decided whether or not to call-in an application28Local Government and Housing Act 1989Direction under sections 74(3)(d) and 87 of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 relating to the holding of housing in a local authority’s General Fund4Direction under section 87 of and Item 9 of Part I and Item 10 of Part II of Schedule 4 to the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 to allow local authorities to account for Discretionary Housing Payments to social tenants in the Housing Revenue Account13

Housing: Construction

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what estimate he has made of the proportion of (a) direct and (b) indirect funding from (i) the Government, (ii) local government and (iii) public agencies in financial year (A) 2016-17 and (B) 2017-18 that was spent on new affordable or public timber construction housing.

Mrs Heather Wheeler: We do not record the proportion of timber construction housing delivered through the Affordable Homes Programme.Since 2010, we have delivered a total of over 378,000 new affordable homes.

Fire Prevention

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government,  what steps the Government is taking to ensure that non-combustible structural materials are used for publicly-funded projects to provide an increased level of fire protection.

Mrs Heather Wheeler: The Government’s proposed ban on the use of combustible materials in external wall systems will apply to all high rise residential buildings subject to building regulations’ requirements, where building work is being undertaken, where they are public buildings or private buildings.Applicants for the £400 million social sector Aluminium Cladding Material cladding remediation fund will need to confirm that the proposed materials that are being used in the refurbishment are European Class A1 or Class A2.

Housing: Construction

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps the Government is taking to tackle the increased risk of extensive fire damage in multi-occupancy dwellings constructed from timber.

Mrs Heather Wheeler: The Government intends to consult shortly on a clarified version of building regulations fire safety guidance (Approved Document B). The provisions of the regulations and the approved document apply equally to all forms of construction including timber frame.

Affordable Housing: Barnet

Dr Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how much funding has been allocated to the London Borough of Barnet from the Affordable Homes Programme; and how much money from that programme has been allocated for affordable homes in Hendon constituency.

Kit Malthouse: The Mayor has overall responsibility for affordable housing policy and delivery in London. In recognition of the acute affordability pressures in London, the Government has agreed a £4.8 billion deal with the GLA, including £1.67 billion announced at Spring Statement, to deliver at least 116,000 affordable housing starts by March 2022.London Affordable Homes Programme allocations are published on the GLA website which can be found here: https://www.london.gov.uk/press-releases/mayoral/record-17bn-deal-for-new-homes

Homelessness: Temporary Accommodation

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 4 July to Question 158161, if he will set out the ways in which new headline figures showing the number of homeless acceptances will be not be comparable with existing statistics published by his Department.

James Brokenshire: Holding answer received on 09 July 2018



The Homelessness Reduction Act 2017 has changed the point at which a local authority must accept a duty to an applicant, and the duties that are owed. We will continue to report on applications on which the 'main' homelessness duty is accepted, which will be equivalent and comparable to the data on acceptances reported until now. In addition we will be able to report where local authorities have accepted a duty to prevent homelessness and to relieve homelessness, which are new duties owed to people irrespective of priority need or intentional homelessness.

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Serco

Dr David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many current contracts his Department has with Serco; and what the (a) value, (b) start date and (c) end date of each of those contracts is.

Jake Berry: Since January 2011, details of central government contracts above the value of £10,000 are published on Contracts Finder. Contracts published prior to 26 February 2015 can be viewed at:https://data.gov.uk/data/contracts-finder-archiveThose published after 26 February 2015 can be viewed at:https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Search

Ministry of Defence

Yemen: International Law

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many incidents of concern regarding violations of international humanitarian law in Yemen his Department has tracked in each month since January 2018.

Mark Lancaster: Disaggregating this information to 2018 alone would be misleading without the addition of sensitive contextual information, which I am withholding as its disclosure would, or would be likely to, prejudice relations between the United Kingdom and other States.As at 4 July, the total number of alleged instances of breaches or violations of International Humanitarian Law (IHL) in Yemen listed on the "Tracker" database maintained by the Ministry of Defence (MOD) is 356. Of these, 14 are duplicate entries, which means that some incidents will have been recorded on more than one occasion likely because of the incomplete nature of Non-Governmental Organisation and media reporting upon which the MOD relies to update the "Tracker".The MOD does not investigate allegations of IHL violations. The Saudi-led Coalition is best placed to do this, and does so through its Joint Incident Assessment Team.

Veterans: Radiation Exposure

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the Government has retained records of the health monitoring carried out during UK nuclear tests in the 1950s and 1960s.

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what information his Department holds on the fate of the film badges worn by veterans who were present during the British nuclear tests carried out in the 1950s and 1960s.

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what information his Department holds on the radiation readings measured by the film badges worn by veterans during the nuclear tests carried out in the 1950s and 1960s.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: As is normal practice, Service medical records are retained for nuclear test participants, but these individual military medical records are not held centrally.Records held by the Atomic Weapons Establishment include those related to the single use film badges, which, as is normal practice, were destroyed after their measurements were recorded. In some cases measurements were not taken because the badges were lost or damaged in situ. Where measurements were found to align with background levels readings were, in some cases, not retained.

Veterans: Radiation Exposure

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what information his Department holds on the alpha radiation contamination on Christmas Island during the UK nuclear tests in the 1950s and 1960s.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: Alpha radiation was not routinely measured to monitor the environment because measuring beta and gamma radiation was more efficient.Alpha monitoring equipment was held at Christmas Island as a contingency in the event of an accident, but was never required.

Veterans: Radiation Exposure

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what information his Department holds on the (a) protection and (b) safety training that was provided to service personnel who collected monitoring equipment and assessed bomb damage after the UK nuclear tests in the 1950s and 1960s.

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what information his Department holds on the (a) protection and (b) safety training that was provided to Christmas Island inhabitants during the nuclear tests on that island in the 1950s and 1960s.

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what information his Department holds on what information nuclear veterans were given on the exposure risks relating to the nuclear tests they were involved in during the 1950s and 1960s.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: Information is held which confirms that regulations were in place to ensure that protection and safety information was given by the officer responsible to all personnel involved in each task. This included subjects such as basic training in nuclear weapon effect and health physics for all ranks, personal protection and issue and use of protective clothing and dosemeters and training in radiological safety.The tests took place over or off an uninhabited part of Christmas Island. Inhabitants of other parts of the island would have been protected by generic safety precautions such as designated restricted areas.

Veterans: Radiation Exposure

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what information his Department holds on the mental health of veterans involved in UK nuclear testing in the 1950s and 1960s.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: The Ministry of Defence does not hold information on the mental health of veterans of the UK's atmospheric nuclear weapons tests.

Veterans: Radiation Exposure

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate he has made of the number of aircrew who flew through mushroom clouds on UK nuclear test sampling missions in the 1950s and 1960s that are still alive.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: We do not hold this information nor have we estimated the number of aircrew still alive.

Radar: Scotland

Douglas Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make it his policy to support the delivery of consented onshore wind developments in Scotland which require the implementation of a Military Radar Mitigation Scheme; and if he will prioritise seeking an immediate solution for developers and investors whose projects have paused because of associated delays.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: The Ministry of Defence remains committed to working with the wind farm industry on the development of enduring technologies that will mitigate the effects to Air Traffic Control and Air Defence radars; to ensure the safety of military and civil airspace users and the effectiveness of defence operations. This commitment includes, where possible, supporting temporary mitigation measures while enduring solutions are explored by industry.

Veterans: Ashfield

Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate he has made of the number of Armed Forces veterans from wars since 1990 who reside in Ashfield constituency; and what comparative assessment he has made of that figure and the average for constituencies.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: This information is not held in the format requested. The Ministry of Defence does not collect or hold information on all veterans and does not collect information by constituency.An estimated distribution, by county, of the UK Armed Forces veteran population residing in Great Britain can be found in the 'Annual Population Survey: UK Armed Forces Veterans Residing in Great Britain', the latest edition of which (2016) is published at the following address: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/annual-population-survey-uk-armed-forces-veterans-residing-in-great-britain. As at 2016, there may have been around 40,000 veterans residing in the county of Nottinghamshire.In addition, the Department also publishes information on the location of veterans who have been awarded compensation under the War Pension Scheme and / or the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme, or who are in receipt of their employment pension. The latest statistics (as at 31 March 2017) indicate that there were 634 veterans residing in Ashfield in receipt of compensation and / or a pension. These statistics are published on the Gov.uk website at the following address:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/location-of-armed-forces-pension-and-compensation-recipients-2017

Armed Forces: Nottinghamshire

Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many people from (a) Ashfield, (b) Mansfield and (c) Broxtowe joined (i) the Army, (ii) the Navy and (iii) the RAF in each of the last five years for which data is available.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: The requested information is provided in the table below.  2013-142014-152015-162016-172017-18Ashfield Naval Service101010~10Army2010102010Royal Air Force10~1010~Broxtowe Naval Service10~~~~Army1010101010Royal Air Force~~~-~Mansfield Naval Service~~~~10Army2010101010Royal Air Force10~10~10Data Source: Single Service Estimates  Notes:Dates are for Recruitment Years (1 April to 31 March).Figures include Regulars and Reserves. Naval Service figures include Royal Marines but exclude Royal Fleet Auxiliary.Figures have been rounded to the nearest 10. Numbers ending in “5” have been rounded to the nearest multiple of 20 to prevent systematic bias. “-“ denotes zero and "~" denotes a number less than or equal to 5.Figures are based on contact addresses which may not in all cases be the same as permanent residence.

Ministry of Defence: Capita

Nick Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many contracts his Department holds with Capita; and what the total value of those contracts is.

Mark Lancaster: The Ministry of Defence has 58 current contracts with Capita. The total value of these arrangements is £1.15 billion.This analysis incorporates contracts with Capita subsidiaries including PageOne Communications and Trustmarque Solutions.

Department for Work and Pensions

Personal Independence Payment: Bangor

Hywel Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many assessors were employed at the Bangor Personal Independence Payment assessment centre as of 1 July 2018.

Sarah Newton: There are no Disability Assessors employed at Bangor Assessment Centre. Capita use the centre to carry out Personal Independence Payment consultations. They have 8 Disability Assessors available to cover Bangor and consultations are conducted in the assessment centre and claimants’ homes.

Personal Independence Payment: Bangor

Hywel Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many assessments on average are able to be carried out each (a) day and (b) week at in the Personal Indepedence Payment assessment centre in Bangor.

Sarah Newton: Capita utilise the one-room facility at Bangor Assessment Centre five days a week. There are eight bookable slots in clinic per day, and 40 per week.

Personal Independence Payment: Bangor

Hywel Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average waiting time has been for an appointment with a Personal Independence Payment assessor at  Bangor assessment centre over the last three months.

Sarah Newton: Between April and June 2018 the average waiting time between the arrival of a case at Capita and an appointment taking place at Bangor Assessment Centre was 42 working days.

Social Security Benefits: Ellesmere Port and Neston

Justin Madders: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many requests for mandatory reconsideration have been submitted in each of the last 12 months for which figures are available in Ellesmere Port and Neston constituency.

Sarah Newton: The information requested could only be provided at a disproportionate cost. DWP provides volumes of Mandatory Reconsiderations at a national level in the following statistical publications. “Personal Independence Payment: Official Statistics to April 2018” – Table 7a available on line at:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/personal-independence-payment-april-2013-to-april-2018 “ESA: outcomes of Work Capability Assessments including mandatory reconsiderations and appeals: June 2018” – Table 12 available on line at:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/esa-outcomes-of-work-capability-assessments-including-mandatory-reconsiderations-and-appeals-june-2018 “Benefit sanctions statistics to January 2018” – Tables 1.8, 2.6, and 3.6, available on line at:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/benefit-sanctions-statistics-to-january-2018. Further breakdowns of these statistics for Parliamentary Constituencies can be found via Stat-Xplore:https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk. Guidance on how to use Stat-Xplore can be found here:https://sw.stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/index.html. “Child Maintenance Service: Aug 2013 to Mar 2018 (experimental)” – Table 15, available on line at:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/child-maintenance-service-aug-2013-to-mar-2018-experimental

Social Security Benefits: Appeals

Justin Madders: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of mandatory reconsiderations were successful in each of the last 24 months for which figures are available.

Sarah Newton: The information requested could only be provided at a disproportionate cost. DWP provides volumes of Mandatory Reconsiderations at a national level in the following statistical publications. “Personal Independence Payment: Official Statistics to April 2018” – Table 7b, available on line at:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/personal-independence-payment-april-2013-to-april-2018 “ESA: outcomes of Work Capability Assessments including mandatory reconsiderations and appeals: June 2018” – Tables 13 to 15, available on line at:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/esa-outcomes-of-work-capability-assessments-including-mandatory-reconsiderations-and-appeals-june-2018 “Benefit sanctions statistics to January 2018” – Tables 1.8, 2.6, and 3.6, available on line at:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/benefit-sanctions-statistics-to-january-2018. Further breakdowns of these statistics for Parliamentary Constituencies can be found via Stat-Xplore:https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk. Guidance on how to use Stat-Xplore can be found here:https://sw.stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/index.html. “Child Maintenance Service: Aug 2013 to Mar 2018 (experimental)” – Table 15, available on line at:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/child-maintenance-service-aug-2013-to-mar-2018-experimental

Personal Independence Payment: Bangor

Hywel Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how far in advance an appointment can be made for a personal independence payment assessment at Bangor assessment centre

Sarah Newton: An appointment to attend a face-to-face Personal Independence Payment consultation at Bangor Assessment Centre, can be made up to 4 weeks in advance.

Children: Day Care

Tom Tugendhat: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the number of households in each English region that were eligible for universal credit childcare at 5 April 2017.

Alok Sharma: The Department has not made an estimate of the number of households who are eligible for the childcare element of Universal Credit.

Children: Day Care

Tom Tugendhat: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the number of households in each English region that have taken up universal credit childcare since that policy's inception.

Alok Sharma: The information requested is not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.The available information on the number of households in receipt of Universal Credit and are claiming childcare can be accessed at:https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/.Guidance on how to extract the information required can be found at:https://sw.stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/Getting-Started.html

Children: Day Care

Tom Tugendhat: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what information her Department collects on the income profile of recipients of universal credit childcare.

Alok Sharma: The latest available data indicates that the household income of Universal Credit claimants that receive the childcare component can be described by the following distribution:Income Per MonthPercentage of HouseholdsUnder £10005%£1000 to £12507%£1250 to £150014%£1500 to £175019%£1750 to £200017%£2000 to £225012%£2250 to £25009%£2500 to £27506%£2750 to £30004%Over £30006%  The number of people claiming Universal Credit is increasing and we do not necessarily expect this figure to be reflective of household incomes in the future. Notes: The data supplied is derived from unpublished management information which was collected for internal Departmental use only, and has not been quality assured to National Statistics or Official Statistics publication standard. They should therefore be treated with caution. The figures relate to both Universal Credit Live and Full Service claims as of April 2018. There may be additional income or support that we do not know of and have not included in the calculation, such as child benefit or passported benefits. Figures may not add up to 100% due to rounding.

Children: Day Care

Tom Tugendhat: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what information his Department holds on the age profile of claimants of universal credit childcare.

Alok Sharma: The latest available data indicates that the ages of the individuals claiming Universal Credit and that receive the childcare component can be described by the following distribution: Age RangePercentage of IndividualsUnder 3011%Aged 30-3429%Aged 35-3928%Aged 40-4419%Aged 45-499%Aged 50 or over4% The figures are based on April 2018 data, which may not be reflective of future claimants because the number of people claiming Universal Credit is increasing. Notes: The data supplied is derived from unpublished management information which was collected for internal Departmental use only, and has not been quality assured to National Statistics or Official Statistics publication standard. They should therefore be treated with caution. The figures related to both Universal Credit Live and Full Service claims as of April 2018. Where there are two adults in the household receiving the childcare component we count both of them individually. Figures may not add up to 100% due to rounding.

Children: Day Care

Tom Tugendhat: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the cost to the public purse of universal credit childcare has been since the introduction of that policy.

Alok Sharma: The information requested is not held.

Children: Day Care

Tom Tugendhat: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate she has made of the annual cost to the public purse of universal credit childcare in the current spending review period.

Alok Sharma: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I provided to Question 125593 on 6 February 2018.

Universal Credit

Heidi Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of universal credit claimants received their full payment on time for the most recent period for which information is available.

Alok Sharma: This information can be found in the ad-hoc statistics release published on 9 July 2018 at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/length-of-payment-delays-for-new-claims-to-universal-credit. This ad hoc release provides statistics on timeliness of payment for new claims to Universal Credit due a payment in February 2018. It also contains results for the number of new claims – due a first payment in February 2018 – that received their first payment on time.

Universal Credit

Heidi Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of universal credit claimants received their full payment on time in each of the last 12 months.

Alok Sharma: We plan to publish regular national statistics on Universal Credit, including payment timeliness, in the future. This data is currently going through quality assurance clearance procedures in line with the National Statistics and Official Statistics publication standard.

Social Security Benefits: Terminal Illnesses

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what discussions she has had with the Northern Ireland Civil Service on the operation of Special Rules for Terminal Illness in Northern Ireland.

Sarah Newton: In line with the principle of parity between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, there are regular discussions between officials in the Department for Work and Pensions and their counterparts in the Northern Ireland Department for Communities (DfC). The Government is committed to supporting the needs of terminally ill claimants and ensuring that benefit rules are applied sensitively. I recognise that this is an issue which claimants, stakeholders and others take a great deal of interest in and I am always keen to hear the views of others and review available evidence. We continue to keep the rules on entitlements to benefits under review to ensure they are working effectively and meeting the needs of claimants both now and in the future.

Social Security Benefits: Terminal Illnesses

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she plans to review the requirement of the special rules for terminal illness whereby claimants for benefits must have a reasonable expectation of death within six months.

Sarah Newton: The Government is committed to supporting the needs of terminally ill claimants and ensuring that benefit rules are applied sensitively. I recognise that this is an issue which claimants, stakeholders and others take a great deal of interest in and I am always keen to hear the views of others and review available evidence. We continue to keep the rules on entitlements to benefits under review to ensure they are working effectively and meeting the needs of claimants both now and in the future.

Personal Independence Payment: Scotland

Hugh Gaffney: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate she has made of the cost to the public purse of the Government’s reassessment of people who may be eligible for personal independence payments in Scotland.

Sarah Newton: We have not estimated costs of Personal Independence Payments at this level. As a result this information is not available for Scotland only and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

State Retirement Pensions: Females

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent estimate he has made of the average time it has taken for Department to resolve a complaint relating to the increase to women's state pension age.

Guy Opperman: Holding answer received on 10 July 2018



All government Departments have routine complaints procedures, this has been the case under successive governments. The Department has a two tier complaints process which considers formal complaints about our service. As outlined on Gov.uk, DWP complaints processes encourages customers in the first instance to raise their issues with the office they are dealing with, as a business as usual contact, so we put things right. If the customer remains unhappy with the response, they can escalate their concerns, which will be dealt with by the Complaints Resolution Team as part of the formal DWP complaints process. The complaint is independently investigated. Where cases cannot be resolved to the customer’s satisfaction, the customer can escalate their complaint to the Director General as part of the tier two complaint process. Escalated complaints represent the final business review and response to the complaint.Once a complainant has exhausted the DWP complaint process they are signposted to the Independent Case Examiner’s (ICE) Office if they are dissatisfied with the final response to their complaint. Complaints received from women born in the 1950s and affected by changes in State Pension age are handled in line with the overall Departmental complaints process published on Gov.uk. The role of the Independent Case Examiner (ICE) is to consider case-specific complaints of maladministration (service failure). The vast majority of the complaints that are referred to ICE are complex and require the circumstances of each case to be considered on its merits. Prior to the WASPI campaign the ICE Office routinely accepted in the region of 1,100 and 1,200 complaints for examination each year. At the end of February 2018, the Office had accepted 1,907 WASPI complaints alone. In January 2017, the ICE Office took the decision to bring a lead case into investigation in order to familiarise itself with the issues underpinning the campaign. This investigation concluded in June 2017 – the ICE did not uphold the complaint. Whilst the Office has had no additional resource to deal with the WASPI campaign complaints, a dedicated team of investigation case managers was established (from within existing resources) in October 2017 to investigate this group of complaints. The ICE Office aim to complete investigation within 20 weeks of starting work on a case, the WASPI related ICE reports that had been concluded to date have been completed within an average of 9.75 weeks. To date, the ICE had not upheld any case specific complaints that DWP failed to provide adequate and timely information relating to the increase in their State Pension age. All final ICE reports explain how the complainant can escalate their complaint to the Parliamentary Ombudsman’s Office. There are no plans to dedicate additional resources to investigating this group of complaints, as to do so would disadvantage other groups of complainants whose cases are awaiting investigation. The Parliamentary Health and Service Ombudsman make final decisions on complaints that have not been resolved by UK Government Departments. This was set up in 1967 under the then Labour Government.

Universal Credit

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the online journal for universal credit; and whether her Department has plans to improve the journals for benefits claimants.

Alok Sharma: The recently published Claimant Survey shows claimants are largely very positive about key aspects of the digital service, such as the journal. Overall, eight in ten (79 per cent) claimants said they found the journal easy to use, while three quarters (75 per cent) said it was a useful way to keep a record of their progress. A similar proportion (74 per cent) said the journal was a useful way to communicate with their work coach, while 68 per cent said they use it to keep evidence of their job seeking or work preparation activity. As part of our test and learn approach to Universal Credit, we update and improve the full service every two weeks, for example, a recent update gave claimants the ability to apply for an advance through their online account. These updates can include changes to the journal, adding functionality and improving ease of use.

Universal Credit: Wirral

Ms Angela Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she has made an estimate of the additional costs incurred by (a) Wirral Council and (b) advice agencies in Wirral as a result of the roll-out of universal credit.

Alok Sharma: We work closely with local authorities to support them through the delivery of Universal Credit, and this includes providing additional funding to cover any costs where they can be evidenced and verified. For 2018/19 we have provided Wirral Council with £113,154, an increase of 8.5% on their 2017/18 funding of £104,331. We do not hold data on additional costs for other agencies. However, we are working closely with many advice agencies and we continue to listen and respond to their concerns and implement changes through the design and development of Universal Credit. We also provide funding through local authorities to deliver Universal Support services to help claimants with the transition to Universal Credit.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Water Supply

Preet Kaur Gill: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will bring forward proposals to transfer responsibility for all mains water pipes to water companies.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: Mains water pipes are already the responsibility of water companies.

Game: Animal Welfare

Mr Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 2 July 2018 to Question 157623 on Game: Animal Welfare, whether the consideration currently being given to reviewing the Code of practice for the welfare of gamebirds reared for sporting purposes includes the code as it applies in England.

George Eustice: Defra’s Code of Practice for the Welfare of Gamebirds Reared for Sporting Purposes applies to England and there are no proposals to change its territorial scope.

Pollinators

Ben Bradley: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of the National Pollinator Strategy to date.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: In 2017 the Government published its first progress report for the National Pollinator Strategy. It highlights positive progress with the Strategy’s 23 policy and 11 evidence actions. For example, in 2015 we introduced a Pollinator and Wildlife Package to our Countryside Stewardship Scheme to provide a suite of habitats on farmland. We now have 2,000 new agreements in place that include the Package (47% of the total since 2015) and, together with other options, they are delivering 2,600 hectares of flower rich margins or pollen and nectar plots to support wild pollinators. We are currently evaluating the impact of Countryside Stewardship on wild pollinators. This research will be completed in 2019. Through our investment in research, surveillance and planning we have been able to detect and eradicate the Asian hornet, an invasive species which poses a devastating threat to honey bees and wild pollinators. We have established a dedicated UK pollinator monitoring and research partnership and, in 2014, we published a new indicator of trends in the status of pollinating insects. The indicator shows that the overall status of pollinating insects has declined since 1980. Although not definitive, there are early indications that this trend may have stabilised in recent years. We will continue to take action for pollinators and encourage others to do the same through our Bees’ Needs campaigns.

Moorland: Fire Prevention

Mrs Anne-Marie Trevelyan: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to ensure the responsible management of heather moorland to minimise the risk of uncontrollable wild fires; and if he will make it his policy to include  controlled burning in accordance with the Heather and Grass Burning Code as part of that management.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: The Government and its agencies are working with moorland owners, land managers and their representatives to put in place long term management plans and stewardship agreements to restore the hydrology and vegetation on degraded blanket bogs. Raising water tables and increasing the coverage of sphagnum moss allows the processes of recovery that store carbon and reduce the risk of ignition of these habitats by wildfire. The risk of severe damage by wildfire on a wet, well functioning blanket bog is relatively low. In accordance with the Heather and Grass Burning Code, managed one-off burning or cutting firebreaks may help to reduce the risk of fires starting on other habitats such as dry heath, and reduce the spread of fire around likely ignition points.

Waste Management

Dr Alan Whitehead: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when he plans to publish his resources and waste strategy.

Dr Alan Whitehead: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on potential funding for separate food waste collections in England.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: Through its Clean Growth Strategy, the Government said it would work towards no food waste entering landfill by 2030.   Defra Ministers and officials have regular discussions with other government departments and ministers, including HM Treasury, on actions that will help to support local authorities to collect more food waste so that the amount sent to landfill continues to decline.   Our Resources and Waste Strategy, which we will publish later this year, will outline our plans for food waste.

Home Office

Immigration: Compensation

Anneliese Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much compensation his Department has paid to persons entitled to reside in the UK for mistakes that were made under the hostile environment policy since October 2010.

Anneliese Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in how many cases compensation has been paid for mistakes under his Department's hostile environment immigration policy since October 2010.

Anneliese Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether his Department has paid compensation for mistakes under its hostile environment immigration policy with the condition that the recipient did not publicise that payment since October 2010.

Caroline Nokes: Home Office records indicate that £12,360 has been paid in compensation in relation to 8 cases, since 2010. 7 of the payments were made to persons entitled to reside in the UK.Home Office records indicate that no compensation has been paid with the condition that the recipient did not publicise that payment since 2010.

Shoplifting

Sir David Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the National Retail Crime Steering Group plans to consider new ways to tackle the root cause of shop theft in its upcoming work plan.

Victoria Atkins: As co-chair of the National Retail Crime Steering Group with the British Retail Consortium, it is part of my role to ensure that the Steering Group’s work plan reflects the retail sector’s crime priorities and that the required activity is in place to deliver it.This includes work to reduce shoplifting alongside other crimes that impact on the retail sector. We have discussed different approaches to preventing and tackling shoplifting as part of the work of the Steering Group and this will continue to be a priority.

Shoplifting

Sir David Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment they have made of the level of shop theft in England and Wales; and what assessment he has made of the role (a) the Government, (b) Police and Crime Commissioners and City Mayors and (c) local police forces can play in tackling the root cause of shop theft offending.

Victoria Atkins: Statistics on shoplifting offences reported to the police are recorded in the crime statistics published by the Office for National Statistics. The statistics can be accessed via their website at www.ons.gov.uk.We encourage all retailers to report shoplifting to the police whenever it occurs, so that these crimes can be investigated and, where appropriate, the offenders brought to justice. It must, however, remain a matter for chief constables and Police and Crime Commissioners, as operational leaders and elected local representatives, to decide how best to deploy resources to respond to these crimes, alongside other local priorities.At the national level, the police, Police and Crime Commissioners, relevant government departments and the retail sector are all represented on the National Retail Crime Steering Group, which ensures a collaborative response to all the crimes that affect the retail sector. Within the Steering Group we have discussed different approaches to preventing and tackling shoplifting and this will continue to be a priority.

Immigration

Alex Sobel: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps his Department is taking to make UK immigration processes clear and accessible.

Caroline Nokes: UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) continually improves its operational processes and customer service.It is rolling out an intuitive online application; it has made improvements to the information available to customers on the gov.uk website; and it has simplified the navigation to the correct form. It is also improving the front-end steps of the application process, making it quicker and easier to access.In addition, the Home Office has commissioned the Law Commission to undertake a project on simplifying the Immigration Rules which underpin immigration processes. This will aim to identify principles by which the Immigration Rules could be redrafted to make them simpler and more accessible for the user. The Law Commission will undertake a public consultation in the autumn and then make recommendations to us in early 2019.

Asylum: English Language

Alex Sobel: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether his Department plans to allow asylum seekers waiting for a decision to have access to free ESOL classes.

Caroline Nokes: Not everyone who makes their own way to the UK to seek asylum will be found to have valid claims to be refugees and many will have travelled through other safe countries to get to the UK. The Government does not fund English classes for asylum seekers.Asylum seekers aged 19 or over become eligible for a 50% contribution to the costs of English language classes through the Adult Education Budget, when they have been legally in the UK for longer than six months and are awaiting a decision on their asylum claim, or have failed in their claim but have been granted support under the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999.

Asylum

Alex Sobel: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that it meet its targets for the time taken to make decisions on applications for asylum.

Caroline Nokes: The Home Office has a Service Standard to make an initial asylum decision on straightforward claims within 182 days of the date of claim however we are aware of the number of older cases in the system. These are more complex cases which generally have barriers that prevent an initial asylum decision being made. These barriers are often varied and require time to clear.However, the Home Office has plans to improve the speed at which outstanding asylum claims are decided. These include rolling recruitment campaigns to maintain decision maker levels, a staff retention strategy to ensure it retains its highly skilled asylum decision makers, and the further expansion of digital processes to increase case working flexibility.Information regarding Asylum data is published as part of the Government’s Transparency agenda the latest release of which can be found on Table Asy_11 and can be found at:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/asylum-transparency-data-may-2018

Antisocial Behaviour: Football

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps his Department is taking to reduce anti-social behaviour during the world cup period.

Victoria Atkins: The Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 provides the police and local authorities with a range of flexible powers that they can use to tackle anti-social and nuisance behaviour.It is for those local agencies to decide whether it is appropriate to make use of these powers to address football-related anti-social behaviour during the world cup period in the light of the circumstances applying in the local area.The police can also make use of public order legislation to respond to football related disorder in town and city centres and in licensed premises.

Immigration: Pakistan

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of non-settlement applications from Pakistan were processed within (a) three weeks, (b) six weeks and (c) 12 weeks in each of the last three years; and what proportion of settlement applications from Pakistan were processed within (i) 12 weeks and (ii) 24 weeks in that same time period.

Caroline Nokes: The specific data requested is not published by the Home Office. Published data on visa processing times, including the percentage of visas processed within published service standards, is published online at the following address: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/international-operations-transparency-data-may-2018

Migrant Workers: Industrial Disputes

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in how many cases in each of the last five years a Tier 2 visa holder has had their leave to remain terminated as a result of taking industrial action in their place of work.

Caroline Nokes: The requested information is not published by the Home Office, and could only be compiled manually and at a disproportionate cost.

Overseas Students: India

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 2 July 2018 to Question 157145 on Overseas Students: India, what factors were considered as part of the objective analysis; what risk profile is assigned to India; and what steps the Indian authorities should take to enable students from India to qualify under Appendix H of the Immigration Rules.

Caroline Nokes: The addition of new countries and competent authorities to Appendix H is based on objective data. As stated in my previous response to PQ 157145, the factors which are considered include the volume of students from a country and their Tier 4 immigration compliance risk.Information on risk profiles is sensitive and cannot be disclosed.We will keep Appendix H under review, adding and removing countries and competent authorities from this list based on objective criteria at each refresh.As with all international students, Indian students should continue to ensure that they comply with the Tier 4 immigration rules and the conditions attached to their grant of Tier 4 leave.

Immigration: Windrush Generation

Mr David Lammy: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will publish the redacted parts of the Windrush guidance following the recommendations of the Report of the Home Affairs Committee, the Windrush Generation, published on 3 July 2018, HC990.

Caroline Nokes: We are grateful to the Home Affairs Committee for its comprehensive report. All of the recommendations are being considered carefully and the Government will respond in due course.

Shoplifting: Drugs

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the report entitled Desperate for a fix, published in June 2018 by the Centre for Social Justice on new ways to tackle the root cause of shop theft and offenders with drug dependencies.

Victoria Atkins: Drugs can devastate lives, ruin families and damage communities. This Government’s approach to them remains clear - we must prevent drug use in our communities and support people through treatment and recovery. Our Drug Strategy, published in July 2017, sets out a balanced approach which brings together police, health, community and global partners to tackle the illicit drug trade, protect the most vulnerable and help those with a drug dependency to recover and turn their lives around. We will consider the recommendations contained in the report, Desperate for a Fix: Using shop theft and a Second Chance Programme to get tough on the causes of prolific drug-addicted offending, as part of our ongoing work programme.

Shoplifting

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans the National Retail Crime Steering Group has to consider new ways to tackle the root cause of shop theft in their upcoming work plan.

Victoria Atkins: As co-chair of the National Retail Crime Steering Group with the British Retail Consortium, it is part of my role to ensure that the Steering Group’s work plan reflects the retail sector’s crime priorities and that the required activity is in place to deliver it.This includes work to reduce shoplifting alongside other crimes that impact on the retail sector. We have discussed different approaches to preventing and tackling shoplifting as part of the work of the Steering Group and this will continue to be a priority.

Shoplifting

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the level of shop theft in England and Wales; and what assessment he has made of the potential role of (a) the Government, (b) Police and Crime Commissioners and (c) local police in tackling the root cause of shop theft offending.

Victoria Atkins: Statistics on shoplifting offences reported to the police are recorded in the crime statistics published by the Office for National Statistics. The statistics can be accessed via their website at www.ons.gov.uk.We encourage all retailers to report shoplifting to the police whenever it occurs, so that these crimes can be investigated and, where appropriate, the offenders brought to justice.It must, however, remain a matter for chief constables and Police and Crime Commissioners, as operational leaders and elected local representatives, to decide how best to deploy resources to respond to these crimes, alongside other local priorities. At the national level, the police, Police and Crime Commissioners, relevant government departments and the retail sector are all represented on the National Retail Crime Steering Group, which ensures a collaborative response to all the crimes that affect the retail sector. Within the Steering Group we have discussed different approaches to preventing and tackling shoplifting and this will continue to be a priority.

Members: Correspondence

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he plans to respond to the letter of the right hon. Member for Warley of 24 May 2018 in respect of Amandeep Singh.

Caroline Nokes: I apologise for the delay in responding. A substantive response was sent on 5 July 2018.

British Nationality: Ilois

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many applications for citizenship have been made by Chagossians in the last year.

Caroline Nokes: The information available on applications for British citizenship broken down by the applicants’ nationality is published in the quarterly Immigration Statistics, Citizenship volume table cz_01_q_a at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/immigration-statistics-year-ending-march-2018/list-of-tables#citizenship

Immigration: Windrush Generation

Mr David Lammy: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, which third sector organisations will be working with her Department on the Windrush compensation scheme; and what their role in that process will be.

Caroline Nokes: We are exploring delivery options for the Windrush Compensation Scheme and how third sector or other organisations could help those affected to access the scheme. This will be subject to the results of a public consultation exercise on the compensation scheme, which will be published in due course, and normal procurement rules.

Agriculture: Migrant Workers

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether he plans to bring forward legislative proposals on agricultural labour as part of Government changes to controls on immigration and visas after the UK leaves the EU.

Caroline Nokes: On 27 July 2017, the Government commissioned the Migration Advisory Committee to advise on our future immigration system after the UK leaves the EU. We will await their report, which is due in September, before making any decisions about the future immigration system.

Immigration: Windrush Generation

Hugh Gaffney: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many Windrush generation cases there are in (a) North Lanarkshire and (b) Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill constituency.

Caroline Nokes: The data requested is not available. Information relating to individual Windrush migrants is not recorded by constituency.

Immigrants: Detainees

Angela Crawley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people being held in immigration detention centres have been in those centres for over (a) one year, (b) two years and (c) three or more years.

Caroline Nokes: The Home Office publish data on the number of people in detention as at the end of each quarter, by length of detention. The data is available in table dt_11_q of the detention tables.The latest available data are as at 31 March 2018 and are published in ‘Immigration Statistics, year ending March 2018’ at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/709326/detention-mar-2018-tables.ods

Detention Centres: Sexual Offences

Angela Crawley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many incidents of rape and sexual assault have been reported at immigration detention centres since 2015; and how many women reporting those incidences have subsequently been deported.

Caroline Nokes: We expect the highest standards from those we entrust with the safety and welfare of those in detention.Management information for the most recent period available shows that there were 25 allegations of sexual assault (which includes allegations of rape) made by detainees against staff at immigration removal centres between financial year 2014/15 (the earliest year for which data is available for the entire detention estate) and 2017/18. Of these 25 allegations, 2 were made in 2014/15, 3 in 2015/16, 6 in 2016/17 and 14 in 2017/18. This is provisional management information that is subject to change. It has not been assured to the standard of Official Statistics.All complaints made by detainees at an immigration removal centre (IRC) are investigated by the IRC supplier in accordance with Detention Services Order 03/2015. Any allegations of serious misconduct made by a detainee against staff at an IRC are also referred to the Home Office Professional Standards Unit for investigation. Where a detainee, or someone on behalf of a detainee, alleges that a member of staff has committed a sexual offence against them the police will automatically be notified, even if the detainee does not wish the matter to be reported or to make a formal complaint.Information on the number of women who have been deported or administratively removed following an allegation of sexual abuse or rape while in detention is not held centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Immigrants: Detainees

Angela Crawley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many pregnant women have been held in immigration detention centres since 2015; and for how long each of them were held.

Caroline Nokes: Section 60 of the Immigration Act 2016, which came into force on 12 July 2016, placed a 72 hour limit on the detention of pregnant women for the purposes of removal, extendable to up to a week in total with Ministerial authorisation.It may not always be appropriate for healthcare professionals to disclose confidential medical information that the patient has asked not to be disclosed. Subject to these constraints, Home Office management information for the period 12 July 2016 to 30 June 2018 indicates that from 12 July-31 December 2016, 27 pregnant women were detained in the immigration detention estate; in 2017, 53 and in 2018, 23 (to 30 June). Of these women, one was detained for 102 hours with Ministerial authorisation.Information on the detention of pregnant women prior to 12 July 2016 is not held centrally, and providing it would incur disproportionate cost.

Cannabis: Medical Treatments

Tonia Antoniazzi: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will discuss with the Department of Health in Northern Ireland the conditions of the licence for Billy Caldwell to ensure he can receive medicinal cannabis without having to travel to Belfast.

Mr Nick Hurd: This is a devolved matter for the Department of Health in Northern Ireland with whom we work collaboratively. Licence conditions can be individually tailored to fit an individual situation based on assessment of risk and in the interests of safeguarding those who are licensed or indirectly benefit from a licence.

Scotland Office

Taxation: Scotland

Mr Ranil Jayawardena: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what recent discussions he has had with the Scottish Government on the use of its tax powers.

David Mundell: My ministerial colleagues and I continue to engage with the Scottish Government to discuss a range of issues relating to the implementation of the Scotland Act 2016, and this includes the Scottish Government’s significant new powers to raise revenue, as well as spend it. The UK Government is committed to implementing all sections of the Scotland Act in full, and we continue to work closely with the Scottish Government to ensure a safe and secure transition of remaining tax powers.

Transport: Scotland

Hugh Gaffney: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Transport on transport provision in Scotland.

David Mundell: While I regularly meet with Cabinet colleagues, including the Secretary of State for Transport, to discuss a wide range of issues that relate to Scotland, the responsibility for transport provision in Scotland is primarily devolved to the Scottish Government.

Agriculture: Scotland

Hugh Gaffney: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs on the replacement of CAP funding for Scottish farmers after the UK leaves the EU.

David Mundell: I meet regularly with the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to discuss a wide range of issues. We recently discussed key issues of importance to Scottish farming when we both attended the Royal Highland Show in Edinburgh and had the opportunity to speak directly to representatives of the industry. I fully appreciate the importance of CAP support to Scottish farmers which is why I am pleased that this Government has made a commitment that the amount we allocate to farming support - in cash terms - will be protected until the end of this Parliament.

EU Grants and Loans: Scotland

Hugh Gaffney: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what recent discussions he has had with the (a) Chancellor of the Exchequer and (b) Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union on the replacing of EU structural funding after the transition period after the UK has left the EU.

David Mundell: Cabinet meets regularly to discuss a range of issues relating to our departure from the European Union. In relation to the replacement of EU structural funds, the Government has committed to creating a UK Shared Prosperity Fund which will boost productivity and reduce inequalities across our four nations. In 2016, the Chancellor confirmed that the Government will guarantee EU funding for structural and investment fund projects signed after the Autumn Statement and which continue after we have left the EU. Further to this, the Withdrawal Agreement ensures that UK entities’ right to participate in EU programmes will be unaffected by the UK’s withdrawal from the EU for the lifetime of projects financed by the current Multi-annual Financial Framework. UK based organisations and individuals will be able to bid for funding, participate in and lead consortia, until programme closure. This settlement, once agreed as part of the Withdrawal Treaty, will supersede the requirement for the domestic guarantee announced by the Government in 2016. UK organisations should continue to bid for EU funding with the assurance that payments will continue after our departure from the EU.

Cabinet Office

Government Communication Service: United Arab Emirates

Jon Trickett: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Government has made an assessment of the level of human rights abuses in Dubai before signing the memorandum of understanding on communications between the Government Communication Service and the Government of Dubai.

Chloe Smith: The memorandum of understanding on government communication is a part of a broad bilateral relationship with the UAE which includes trade, policy, defence and consular services. Human rights issues are taken into consideration by the UK Government for all bilateral programmes overseas.

National Democracy Week

Lloyd Russell-Moyle: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much his Department spent from the public purse on National Democracy Week 2018.

Chloe Smith: The Cabinet Office has provided event and promotion materials to the partner-led National Democracy Week Council. For example, on 24 March this year we launched the National Democracy Week website, which provides details for the events being run across the country during this week. National Democracy Week branding, in addition to ideas for events activities, is also available from the website for our partners to utilise. These contributions to the success of National Democracy Week have been resourced from existing budgets for democratic engagement. To date, Cabinet Office expenditure has been less than £60k and is not expected to change significantly.

National Democracy Week

Lloyd Russell-Moyle: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what additional costs were incurred by (a) local authorities and (b) the voluntary sector as a result of the decision to establish a a third democracy awareness week.

Chloe Smith: The information requested is not available. National Democracy Week was established to mark the 90th anniversary of equal suffrage. It was announced on International Democracy Day in 2017. To support the development and delivery of the week, we established the National Democracy Council. Council members and others who have been involved in National Democracy Week, which has had a particular focus on under-registered groups, have done so voluntarily and in recognition of the importance of democratic engagement.

Voting Rights: Gambia

Dr Matthew Offord: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, when citizens of The Gambia resident in the UK with leave to remain will be permitted to register as UK electors following that country re-joining the Commonwealth on 8 February 2018.

Chloe Smith: Commonwealth citizens legally resident in the UK have full voting rights. In British nationality law, a Commonwealth citizen is a person who is either a British national or a national of a country listed in Schedule 3 of the British Nationality Act 1981. The British Nationality (The Gambia) Order 2018 has now come into force and amends Schedule 3 to reflect The Gambia rejoining the Commonwealth. Citizens of The Gambia can now register to vote in the UK.

Government Departments: Former Members

Diana Johnson: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many former hon. Members are as of 6 July 2018 appointed to (a) paid and (b) unpaid roles within government departments.

Diana Johnson: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, to how many (a) paid and (b) unpaid roles within Government departments has Edward Timpson been appointed.

Diana Johnson: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many former hon. Members have been appointed to (a) paid and (b) unpaid roles within each government department in each of the last eight years.

Oliver Dowden: It is for individual departments to maintain records of their employees. This information is not held centrally.

Treasury

Child Tax Credit

Tom Tugendhat: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many households in each English region were eligible for child tax credit for childcare as of 5 April 2017.

Tom Tugendhat: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many households in each English region have taken up child tax credit for childcare since that policy's inception.

Elizabeth Truss: Estimates of the number of households in each English region were eligible for the childcare element of working tax credit as of 5 April 2017 can only be provided at disproportionate cost. Our Child and Working Tax Credit Statistics: finalised awards, geographical analysis, 2016-17, provide a regional breakdown of the average number of households in receipt of the childcare element of working tax credit. This has been attached for reference. Further information regarding Tax Credit take-up statistics for 2016-17 are yet to be published. The latest statistics for 2015-16, with a regional breakdown for all tax credits can be found by following the URL below on Table 9:https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/666846/Child_Benefit__Child_Tax_Credit_and_Working_Tax_Credit_Take-up_rates_201....pdf A subset of these statistics for households benefitting from the childcare element could only be produced at disproportionate cost.Information regarding the take-up of the childcare element of working tax credit since inception can only be made available at disproportionate cost.



Table for PQs 160299 & 160300 
(Word Document, 15.04 KB)

Child Tax Credit

Tom Tugendhat: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what information his Department holds on the income profile of recipients of child tax credit for childcare.

Tom Tugendhat: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what information his Department holds on the income profile of current recipients of Child Tax Credit.

Elizabeth Truss: The income profile of in-work recipients of Child Tax Credits is published in our Child and Working Tax statistics: finalised awards, 2016/17, released on 28th June 2018. The publication can be found by following URL: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/child-and-working-tax-credits-statistics-finalised-annual-awards-2016-to-2017 The relevant information from the published statistics has been derived from Table 1.1 and Table 3.7 and is attached for your reference. The “Total with children” row is the row which provides the income breakdown for all those families receiving the Child Tax Credit.The childcare element is a component of Working Tax Credit.For PQ 160301, I refer the Honourable Member to the answer given on 6 July to PQ’s 158289 & 158290.  



table for PQs 160304 and 160301
(Word Document, 88 KB)

Fossil Fuels: Expenditure

Alan Brown: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much the Government spent from the public purse on (a) subsidies, (b) investment and (c) research and development in the fossil fuel energy sectors in each of the last 10 financial years and to date in the 2018 - 2019 financial year.

Robert Jenrick: The UK currently has no fossil fuel subsidies. We are committed to meeting our climate change commitments as cost effectively as possible and over the last 10 years emissions from the power sector have decreased by 57%. Looking ahead we have committed to further reducing our dependence on fossil fuels by phasing out unabated coal from our power system altogether by 2025. The Government is also enabling the transition away from fossil fuels in the transport sector by supporting the development of the market for ultra-low emission vehicles.

Tax Avoidance

Alison Thewliss: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the effect on the level of provision of public services of the increased public sector worker contract rates resulting from IR35 rules.

Mel Stride: The Government is monitoring the impact of the recent changes to the off-payroll working rules in the public sector including through engagement with stakeholders. The Government recently published independent research on public sector workforce structures and costs of administration of the reform. The full report can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/off-payroll-reform-in-the-public-sector

Revenue and Customs: Internet

Alison Thewliss: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent assessment his Department has made of the accuracy of the Check Employment Status for Tax service.

Mel Stride: The check employment status for tax (CEST) digital service was rigorously tested throughout development, with input from external stakeholders, in accordance with government data standards. Provided the correct information is entered and HMRC guidance is followed, it will provide a status determination in the vast majority of cases, which HMRC will stand by. Where CEST does not generate an answer, customers are then able to call a dedicated helpline staffed by specialists who can give them further advice.

Child Tax Credit

Tom Tugendhat: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the annual cost to the public purse was of child tax credit for childcare since the introduction of that policy.

Tom Tugendhat: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the annual cost to the public purse of child tax credit for childcare in the current spending review period.

Elizabeth Truss: I refer the Honourable Member to the answer given on 6 July to PQ’s 158289 & 158290. The childcare element is a component of working tax credit

Motor Vehicles: Hydrogen

Luke Pollard: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he plans to include hydrogen refuelling stations in the scope of the Charging Infrastructure Investment Fund in the future.

Robert Jenrick: The purpose of the Charging Infrastructure Investment Fund is to catalyse private sector investment into the electric vehicle chargepoint network. There are separate interventions to support the uptake of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles and roll out more cutting edge infrastructure. This includes funding which will see additional hydrogen refuelling stations being built as well as upgrades to existing refuelling infrastructure. In addition, government funding has supported the opening of the UK’s first integrated forecourt hydrogen refuelling station at the Shell Beaconsfield site, making it the first location in the country selling hydrogen fuel as well as petrol and diesel.

Revenue and Customs: Internet

Justin Tomlinson: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps HMRC has taken to ensure that the Check Employment Status for Tax tool accurately interprets case law for the purpose of deciding employment status.

Mel Stride: The check employment status for tax (CEST) digital service was rigorously tested throughout development, with input from external stakeholders, in accordance with government data standards prior to release. Results have been tested by HMRC against known case law and settled cases.

Tax Avoidance

Mr Roger Godsiff: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what representations (a) his Department and (b) groups representing contractors have made on the establishment of a suicide prevention hotline to support people facing bankruptcy as a result of the 2019 Loan Charge.

Mel Stride: The charge on disguised remuneration (DR) loans was introduced to tackle the use of DR tax avoidance schemes. These schemes are contrived arrangements that pay loans in place of ordinary remuneration to avoid Income Tax and National Insurance contributions. The loans are provided on terms that mean they are unlikely to be repaid, so they are no different to normal income and are, and always have been, taxable. The Government recognises that some people will face significant bills. HMRC wants to help people put things right and has an outstanding track record of helping people, but it can only help those who come forward. HMRC takes its duty of care very seriously for vulnerable people and people who are worried or anxious about their tax affairs. HMRC have guidance and training in place for their staff on how to provide support. HMRC has an existing dedicated line, which has been widely publicised, for those interested in getting out of avoidance schemes. The Government would urge anybody who is concerned about their ability to pay to contact HMRC as soon as possible. HMRC will consider all personal circumstances to agree a manageable and sustainable payment plan wherever possible.

Local Government Finance

Hugh Gaffney: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government on changes in the level of funding for local government since 2010.

Elizabeth Truss: Local Government funding in Scotland is devolved to the Scottish Government. It is for the Scottish Government to determine the allocation of funds from within its own budgets. The Chancellor of the Exchequer has regular discussions with Cabinet colleagues on a range of matters. The Government will consult on the local government finance settlement for 2019/20 in due course. The level of funding for local government in later years will be considered as part of the Spending Review next year.

Social Services: Children

Hugh Gaffney: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government on changes in the level of public funding for children’s services since 2010.

Elizabeth Truss: Children’s Services is a devolved responsibility. The Scottish Government are funded through the block grant to provide children’s services in Scotland and it is their responsibility to allocate their resources as they see fit. The Chancellor has regular discussions with Cabinet colleagues on a range of matters. Over £200 billion is available to English councils for local services, including children’s services, up to 2019-20. There will be a real-terms increase in resources available to local government over the next two years. Spending on the most vulnerable children in England has increased by around £1 billion since 2010.

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

Electronic Commerce: EU Law

Liam Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, when he plans to publish proposals to monitor the eCommerce directive.

Margot James: Government does not plan to publish proposals to monitor the eCommerce Directive.

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport: Serco

Dr David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, how many current contracts his Department has with Serco; and what the (a) value, (b) start date and (c) end date of each of those contracts is.

Margot James: Since January 2011, details of central government contracts above the value of £10,000 are published on Contracts Finder. Contracts published prior to 26 February 2015 can be viewed at: https://data.gov.uk/data/contracts-finder-archive Those published after 26 February 2015 can be viewed at: https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Search

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport: Data Protection

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps his Department is taking to ensure (a) Google's Google Maps and (b) other similar organisations are compliant with data sharing regulation.

Margot James: Organisations in the UK and those based outside the EU which are processing personal data of UK residents for the purposes of providing goods and services must comply with the GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018. That includes ensuring that people understand what information about them is being processed and why, and respecting their rights to access and erase their data, where appropriate. The Information Commissioner is responsible for regulating the new legislation and may act on complaints about companies which are not complying with the law.